Confucian culture and farmers' pro-environmental behaviors: Self-interest or mutual benefit?

Abstract

The social structure of rural China exhibits differential mode of association, rooted in Confucian Culture. It influences over individual behavioral choices for pro-environment activity across both collective and individual levels. Nonetheless, the precise influence remains elusive in existing research. This study utilizes data from the China General Social Survey (CGSS) to examine the mediating influence of willingness to pay for environmental protection and intra-village income disparity. The findings suggest that Confucian culture encourages pro-environment activity participation among farmers at the individual level but hinders their participation at the collective level. Mechanism analysis reveals that Confucian culture can enhance pro-environmental behaviors among farmers at the collective level by increasing their willingness to pay for environmental protection and reducing intra-village income disparity. This, in turn, reinforces their commitment to environmental protection at the individual level. Regional heterogeneity analysis indicates that in the rural areas of northern China, where external cultural influences are weaker and environmental regulations are more prevalent, farmers' behaviors align more closely with Confucian cultural principles. This study uncovers the deep-rooted influence of Confucian culture as the underlying reason for the divergence in environmental protection behaviors between the "collective" and "individual" levels among Chinese rural residents. To fully harness the positive potential of rural residents in future environmental protection initiatives, it should focus on eroding the boundaries between "collective" and "individual" participation.