HAS DIGITAL DEVELOPMENT PROMOTED RURAL REVITALIZATION?

Abstract

The Chinese government has introduced the Rural Revitalization Strategy to advance rural agricultural modernization, enhance the quality of life for farmers, and promote the integrated development of urban and rural areas. Currently, digital development has emerged as a new driving force for advancing rural revitalization. To analyze how digital development propels rural revitalization, this paper has constructed an evaluation index system based on four dimensions: digital cities, digital economy, digital government, and digital culture. Using data from 2011 to 2020 across 30 provinces and cities in China, the study employs the entropy method to calculate indices for digital development and rural revitalization. Through the utilization of the two-way fixed-effects model and individual fixed-space Durbin model, this paper empirically examines the impact mechanisms and spatial effects of digital development on rural revitalization. The research findings indicate that: firstly, digital development significantly propels rural revitalization, a conclusion supported even after robustness checks and considerations of endogeneity issues. Secondly, the levels of educational and industrial expenditure, as well as regional disparities, influence the effect of digital development on rural revitalization. Thirdly, digital development primarily drives rural revitalization through pathways such as human capital, research and development intensity, income levels, and technological innovation. Lastly, there exists a spatial spillover effect in the impact of digital development on rural revitalization, contributing to the promotion of rural revitalization in adjacent areas. This study unveils the intrinsic logic behind how digital development influences rural revitalization, offering practical guidance for government initiatives and enabling comprehensive socio-economic development in rural areas.