父母会在子女之间传递不平等吗？来自中国和瑞典双胞胎的证据

中文摘要

经济学家长期以来一直研究父母行为如何塑造家庭内部不平等，然而实证发现仍莫衷一是。利用来自中国和瑞典的双胞胎数据，我们检验了文献中报告的主要机制。两国父母在子女童年时期的投资方式相似。然而，生前转移存在差异：中国父母强化收入不平等，而瑞典父母平等分配财富；这种强化模式反映了交换动机。遗产在两国均被平等分配。父母教育水平发挥关键作用：受教育程度较低的父母强化收入不平等，而受教育程度较高的父母则平等转移财富。因此，父母教育水平的跨国差异可能有助于解释这些莫衷一是的发现。

Abstract

ABSTRACT Economists have long studied how parental behavior shapes within‐family inequality, yet empirical findings remain mixed. Using twins data from China and Sweden, we examine the predominant mechanisms reported in the literature. Parents in both countries invest similarly during childhood. Inter vivos transfers, however, differ: Chinese parents reinforce income inequality, whereas Swedish parents distribute wealth equally; the reinforcing pattern reflects exchange motives. Bequests are divided equally in both countries. Parental education plays a key role: less educated parents reinforce income inequality, whereas more educated parents transfer wealth equally. Cross‐country differences in parental education may thus help explain the mixed findings.