Labor Migration – Social Inequality and Disruption of Family Relationships: The Chinese Experience

This article explores the significant increase in domestic labor migration in the People’s Republic of China due to the implementation of the “Hukou” system, examining its effects on families left behind. The family is a social institution profoundly impacted by migration, as the departure of one family member often disrupts intra-family relationships. It is crucial to consider both positive and negative effects on the remaining family members when one or more family members migrate. When parents migrate, children may experience emotional dissatisfaction, lack of supervision, and inadequate physical and psychological care, which can lead to developmental delays and susceptibility to harmful habits. Women, on the other hand, are often burdened with additional responsibilities in the absence of their husbands. Physical, mental pressures, and financial difficulties further complicate women's lifestyles. Such imbalances in family-marital relations negatively affect the stability of families. Therefore, rather than implementing restrictive state systems, it is essential to promote government and non-government projects that support these socially vulnerable families, helping them overcome crises. This experience experienced by the people's Republic of China also plays an important role in the economy and politics of the countries involved in migration. We believe that it is necessary to draw conclusions from this experience and take into account the implementation of reforms in public administration, especially since the countries of Central Asia are a migrant sending area in a large stream.