The concept of “youth” in a modern sense took shape roughly in the 1770s as industrialization and modernization began to advance. The Industrial Revolution instigated a wave of rural-urban migration. Youth thronged to cities and gained attention because of their participation in social issues. As modernization proceeded, people no longer considered youth to be the initiators of social issues. Instead, they placed greater emphasis on the group’s positive role in social development.

Things are now different in China. Inadequate youth participation is impeding the development of Chinese rural areas. Considering the initiative to implement comprehensive rural vitalization, policymakers are obliged to incentivize rural youth to return home and urban youth to move to villages.