Value and ethical transformation and labour activism: generational shifts and prospects for independent trade unions in China

This thesis investigates the evolving ethical orientations among Chinese workers, particularly those born after 1980, and examines how these changes affect the potential for independent trade union formation. While much of the existing literature attributes the weakness of China’s labour movement to state repression and institutional constraints, this research introduces ethics as a foundational and underexplored dimension of collective voice. It argues that deeply embedded hierarchical ethics—shaped by Confucian traditions, reinforced during the Maoist era, and maintained through authoritarian governance—have historically impeded union activism by fostering obedience, conformity, and fear of authority. Drawing on Diefenbach’s (2013) general theory of hierarchy and Kohlberg’s (1973) moral stage theory, the study develops a cross-sectional ethical framework to analyze workers’ attitudes across generational cohorts. Through 62 qualitative interviews, it identifies generational differences in moral reasoning and ethical priorities. The findings reveal that younger participants, particularly those born after the economic reforms, are more inclined toward egalitarian and post-conventional values, demonstrating a greater willingness to support collective action and challenge established power structures. In contrast, older generations tend to reproduce hierarchical ethics and prioritize self-protection, risk aversion, and loyalty to authority. The thesis argues that although institutional reforms alone may be insufficient to stimulate independent unionism, shifts in ethical values—especially among the younger generation—could play a crucial role in reshaping the future of collective voice in China. It concludes that ethics-oriented resistance, grounded in a rejection of authoritarian norms and a commitment to equality and participation, may serve as a necessary foundation for the development of independent labour organizations in the long term.