Traditionalist, Collectivist, and Marketist: Value Orientations and Pro‐Solidarity Inclinations in Contemporary China

ABSTRACT How can individuals with differing beliefs, values, and ways of thinking live together within a society experiencing rapid and comprehensive social transitions? This paper addresses and contextualizes this enduring sociological question by examining the complex correlations between value orientations and pro‐solidarity inclinations in contemporary China. Multivariate analyses of the Cultural Change and Value Survey 2024 reveal that: (1) the marketist orientation, which underscores the principles of the market, receives the strongest support among Chinese citizens, who also exhibit a tendency to endorse the notion of fostering solidarity through instrumental exchange; (2) compared to traditionalist and collectivist orientations, the marketist orientation reveals a significantly stronger correlation with pro‐solidarity inclinations that emphasize instrumental exchange, shared compassionate experiences, and generalized understanding and respect of others; (3) individuals who have a more balanced adherence to multiple value orientations—an indication of potential value rivalries—tend to display weaker pro‐solidarity inclinations; and (4) a positive synergistic relationship is detected between traditionalist and collectivist value orientations, as well as between marketist and collectivist value orientations.