What is the urban-rural dual structure?

The urban-rural dual economic structure refers to a state in developing countries in which the proportion of traditional sectors (such as agriculture) is too large, the modern economic sectors are underdeveloped, and the gap between urban and rural areas is very obvious.

This situation is not only a prominent contradiction in the economic structure of developing countries, but also an important reason for the relative poverty and backwardness of these countries. The modernization process of developing countries can be said to a large extent to realize the transformation of the urban-rural dual economic structure into a modern economic structure.

Dual economic and social structures will exist in the development history of any country. But in comparison, the dual structure of Chinese society is particularly obvious. The so-called dual economic structure, in short, is nothing more than the distinction between the two major sectors of industry and agriculture, that is, the economy and population of a society are divided into two major sectors: industry and agriculture.

Since the British Industrial Revolution, countries around the world have entered the process of industrialization. In developed countries today, the industrial sector and the service sector have become the main sectors of the social economy, and the traditional agricultural sector has basically achieved industrialization after mechanization.

Therefore, in some developed countries, the dual economic structure basically no longer exists in society. In developing countries, the industrial sector and the traditional agricultural sector still exist very distinctly. But even in developing countries, the dual economic structure behaves differently.

The huge difference between urban and rural areas in China:

The dual economic structure is not only reflected in the mode of production, but also in the lifestyle and way of thinking. People living in two different structures have different ways of thinking and living. If more than 70% of the population still lives in the traditional way of thinking, it shows that the degree of modernization of this country is very limited.

Its social, cultural and political life will inevitably still have a strong traditional flavor, and the result will inevitably affect the process of China's political democratization. In China, the dual economic structure is mainly reflected in two parts: urban society and rural society. The relationship between modernity and tradition is concentrated in the relationship between cities and rural areas.

With the deepening of China’s reform, two other dual economic structures are vaguely emerging in China. One is the dual structure of rich and poor, which exists not only between urban and rural areas, but also between urban and rural areas. among. The second one is the state-owned economy and the private economy. The opposition between the two camps is also forming the prototype of a dual structure. However, neither dual structure is as obvious as the main dual structure of urban and rural areas and workers and peasants.