This document compares household registration systems in China and France. China's hukou system restricts internal migration and limits access to welfare benefits based on one's place of registration. France's system of etat civil and livret de famille records individuals' civil status without restrictions on movement. Both systems aim to identify individuals and collect population statistics. While France's system is person-based, China's is still tied to one's hukou status and location. The document discusses reforms to China's system to promote mobility and balanced economic growth.

1. HOUSEHOLD REGISTRATION SYSTEM
CHINA – FRANCE
Tsang Sze Na, Bianca 07019173
Yip Shuk Ching, Kobi 09006281

2. CHINA – HUKOU SYSTEM
 Fragmented legislations about household
registration system
 “Hukou Registration Ordinance”(戶口登記條例)
 Rural households and urban households
 Get approval from officials before migration
 Differentia in welfare systems and political rights

3. CHINA – CHARACTERS
 Socio-political control
 Internal migration control
 Resource allocation –private goods
 Resource allocation – public goods

4. FRANCE –
ETAT CIVIL AND LIVRET DE FAMILLE
 Civil Status (Etat Civil)
 Established by François 1er in 1593
 Made by Catholic Church
 Parish registers of baptisms, marriages
and deaths
 Secularisation in 1792
 Family Records Booklet
 (Livret de Famille)
in 1877 to now

5. SIMILARITIES
 Individualisation of a citizen
 Name, nationality, place of residence, gender, marriage
 Entitlement of rights and obligation
 Right (school education, participation in local elections…)
 Obligations (family planning…)

6. SIMILARITIES
 Obtainment of population statistic for future development

7. DIFFERENCES
China France
Functions
Social control +
resource allocation
Social control 
recording
Types of social control
Political control  one-
party authoritarian rule
Religious  cancelled
Internal labour
“borders within a border”
- Separation of the rural
population from the city
one
In France:
No restriction
France within EU:
Free movement of

8. China France
Welfare system Hukou-based Person-based
Political rights
Hukou-based Person-based
Responsible
‘Police Status’
-Public Security Organs
(公安機關)
‘Civil Status’
-Mayor of cities and
municipalities
(le Maire)
Term of validity 5 years – permanent Permanent

9. CHINESE HOUSEHOLD REGISTRATION SYSTEM
IMPACTS AND DRAWBACKS
 Limits the population movement
within the country  social
problems
 Several reform initiations
 Reform needed  big-bang

10. EXCHANGING PRACTICES BETWEEN FRANCE
IN THE EU AND CHINA
Practices in France China Possible solution
Same social
benefits no matter
where you live
Free movement of
labour within EU
Current problem: To give equal standing
as locals in the labour
market, social welfare
system
 Emergence of
officially sanctioned
discrimination against
migrants in urban
areas

11. EXCHANGING PRACTICES BETWEEN FRANCE
IN THE EU AND CHINA
Practices in France China Possible solution and
effect
No limitation on rural-
urban migration
Urbanization
From 1946 to 1985, the
population of towns
40 55
million
→ Massive investment
France's housing
infrastructure in the
1950s and 1960s
Current problems: Promoting the mobility
 Unbalanced
economic growth
→ by 2015
45% 65%
If allowed,
→ ↑16% domestic
consumption
→ boost the economy
→ Better distribution of
resources