Cadre Children and Cognitive Function of Parents in China: The Value of Political Connection

AbstractThis paper investigates whether children’s political success contributes to social stratification and health inequality among older adults. Using China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) data, we investigate whether having a cadre (i.e., politically employed) child substantially increases overall cognitive functioning among older adults. We find that the beneficial effect of having a cadre child on cognitive functioning is equivalent to a 1.5-year increase in education, even after controlling for other variables related to general intelligence. This positive effect is more salient among parents of higher-ranking cadre children, and more salient in less-marketized regions. The results of a Sobel test suggest that about one-fifth of the effect can be explained by the channel of increased social interaction.