Maintaining Elite Status: Navigating Young Adults’ Inherited Social Status in China
Initial findings reveal that the idea of take-for-granted of parental support. While these young adults benefit substantially from their families' financial support, they often downplay this privilege, instead emphasizing personal effort and hard work. A notable tension emerges between inherited privilege and individual aspirations. Many participants, though enjoying affluent lifestyles enabled by their families, express frustration with their own career trajectories and financial independence. This highlights the challenge of reconciling inherited wealth with societal pressures to prove themselves in an increasingly competitive job market.
The study also identifies two levels of participant responses. The first level takes their statements at face value, while the second involves reading between the lines, where contradictions become apparent. Many participants' actions and statements conflict, as they portray themselves as modest or self-reliant while benefiting from significant family resources. This behaviour may reflect a broader cultural reluctance to acknowledge privilege, particularly given the current political and social climate in China.
Overall, this research contributes to a deeper understanding of how elite families in China shape the next generation’s social characteristics, raising critical questions about meritocracy, social reproduction, and the visibility of privilege in contemporary Chinese society.