China’s ‘bad citizens’: understanding non-participation in philanthropic and voluntaristic activities

In response to increasing socio-economic inequalities, the Chinese state has promoted the idea of the ‘good citizen’ who engages in philanthropy and volunteerism. This study explores why some individuals in China choose the converse, to be ‘bad citizens’ by not participating in these activities. Utilizing data from four waves of the Civic Participation in China Surveys (CPCS) conducted in 2018, 2020, 2022 and 2024, the study suggests that the behaviour of such non-participants are influenced by their immediate social circle, their general perceptions of donating and volunteering, and their level of support for the government. These findings have significant implications. The existence of bad citizens conceptually highlights the presence of a ‘skeptical citizen’ who does not fully align with the state’s vision of the model citizen. At a more general level, the study provides a profile of bad citizens that enables the development of targeted policies to incentivize charitable giving and volunteering, and promote greater civic engagement.