Standard Language Proficiency as Social Capital: Impacts on Subjective Socioeconomic Status in China

Drawing on data from the 2021 China General Social Survey, this study investigates the relationship between Mandarin proficiency and Chinese individuals’ subjective SES, including subjective class identity and perceptions of social mobility. The sample comprises 5,997 individuals aged 18-95 from urban and rural areas nationwide, with balanced sex distribution and diverse educational and occupational backgrounds. Mandarin proficiency is positively associated with static subjective class identity. This association is more pronounced among younger, less-educated, and rural groups. Additionally, proficiency alleviates the downward deviation, where subjective class identity falls below objective SES. This effect is stronger in coastal regions. However, it shows little association to perceptions of past or future mobility.