A Social Value Survey Of China: On the Change and Stability in the Chinese Globalization

Abstract

This paper briefly reports on a social value survey of China conducted during 2001 fall-2002 winter as part of our cross-national comparative study. The survey areas are the central parts of Beijing and Shanghai. The data show the change and stability of traditional social values of Chinese in a new social system under construction. Our past studies have confirmed that people’s attitudes and values on political and economic systems may change in a short term whereas the interpersonal relationships are relatively stable over time. China, however, may be in a time of transition on inter- personal relationships as well as international relationships. For example, although the family is still an important core as the social unit in China, the style of family may be changing in the younger generation. Our data show some differences between the total samples and the younger elite groups in those cities in China. This may present some clues to foresee the near-future of China.