Economic development, social inequality, and the state: a cross‐national analysis of child mortality in less developed countries

Abstract

Many cross‐national studies of child and infant mortality emphasize predictors linked to modernization theory, such as economic development level as measured by GNI (gross national income) or GDP (gross domestic product) per capita. However, much less research considers the effects of social inequality on child mortality. This paper relies on four theoretical frameworks. In addition to modernization theory, it assesses the social democratic theory, the class stratification theory, and the gender stratification theory by examining the effects of state commitment to health care, class inequality, and gender inequality on child mortality. The findings demonstrate some support for each of the theories. Along with economic development, state commitment to health care, class inequality, and gender inequality demonstrate significant direct effects on child mortality in LDCs (less developed countries). In addition, economic development has a significant indirect effect on child mortality via state commitment to health care and gender inequality, but not via class inequality. 摘要: ：许多针对儿童死亡率的跨国研究强调经济发展水平对儿童死亡率的作用， 它们依据的是现代化理论， 通常是以人均产值作计量。 人们往往较少考查种种社会不平等因素对儿童死亡率的作用。 本文用结构方程模式的定量分析方法同时对四种相关理论进行评估， 除现代化理论外， 我们考查社会民主理论， 阶级差异理论， 及性别差异理论对儿童死亡率的作用。 我们对137个发展中国家(其中包括中国)的分析结果对以上四种相关理论均提供一定证据。 经济发展水平， 收入不均， 妇女地位， 及政府对医疗保健的投入都对儿童死亡率有着直接的作用。 此外， 经济发展水平通过妇女地位和政府对医疗保健的投入对儿童死亡率有间接的作用。