Labor Transfer and Development Policy in Dual Agriculture

This book is the first monograph exclusively addressing the dual agricultural economy, which is characterized by the coexistence of modern and traditional agriculture. The work presented here transcends the fragmented nature of prior research in this field and is dedicated to offering systematic solutions to related issues. The dual agricultural economy represents a distinctive stage in the modernization process of developing countries, exhibiting numerous differences from the conventional urban–rural dual economy, particularly in labor transfer mechanisms and the effectiveness of economic policies. Focusing on the patterns of labor mobility between urban and rural areas as well as within rural regions at this stage, the book begins by examining characteristic features of China’s dual agricultural economy. It investigates the theoretical mechanisms underlying intra-rural labor transfer and, through integration with contemporary Chinese rural policy practices, provides a systematic analysis of the dual agricultural economic structure. Empirical validation is conducted using Chinese data, covering multiple dimensions such as urban unemployment, subsidy policies, employee training, wage gaps, and environmental protection. Notably, the book introduces an innovative mechanism for intra-rural labor transfer that moves beyond the applicability constraints of traditional models such as the Harris–Todaro framework, demonstrating effectiveness even in complex real-world contexts.