农村电子商务、村庄治理与农村低收入家庭收入：来自中国的证据

摘要

Despite growing evidence on the economic role of rural digitalization, less is known about how rural e-commerce relates to income among low-income rural households (LRHs). We use survey data from 503 villages in China to provide village-level evidence on the association between rural e-commerce development and the average income of LRHs. Average income among LRHs tends to be higher in villages where rural e-commerce is more developed, while some specifications also point to smaller within-village income gaps. This association appears more evident in western China and in villages with better transport links and basic infrastructure. The association also differs across local governance conditions. The association is more pronounced where village cadres have stronger administrative capacity, village collective economies are more developed, and cooperative-based benefit-sharing arrangements are in place. Internet penetration also appears to matter. The association is stronger as internet access rises from low to moderate levels, but becomes weaker once basic connectivity is widely established. Our results are consistent with a pro-poor dimension of rural e-commerce under supportive local conditions. In particular, higher income among LRHs is more likely where digital access is complemented by infrastructure, governance capacity, and collective arrangements that help disadvantaged households connect to market opportunities.