Social welfare in rural China

Abstract

Rapid diversification in China’s rural economy, the comeback of family farming and an increasing importance in the role of markets, as well as the restructuring of political institutions, created not only new opportunities but also new risks and vulnerability for the rural population. Therefore, social welfare affairs remain one of the basic problems in rural China. There have always been fundamental differences between the lives of rural and urban people, and the state primarily concerned itself with the urban dwellers and workers in the public sector. Universal work participation and residence were the key social inclusion and welfare entitlement factors. Rural regions experienced special welfare arrangements, mainly based on collective work, the distribution of local resources and self-help within the families. The state has never been directly involved in rural welfare affairs carried out by the communes and brigades and only intervened in residual relief work. The recent transformation in China’s rural areas changed the former modes of work inclusion and participation in collective welfare provision. The principal aim of all development efforts should be the enhancement of the welfare of the population. Development begins with a reduction in poverty, vulnerability and precarious living conditions. According to the understanding of the Chinese, the socialist system abolished exploitation and, by creating employment, reduced extreme poverty, served the human needs and thus contributed to social welfare. Market socialism intended to open up new economic opportunities and private activities in order to raise the overall standard of living. An unpredictable improvement in living conditions took place in both rural and urban areas, although accompanied by increasing regional disparities and growing social inequality. Welfare is also the aim of private household activities. Actors, appropriate institutions and resources are necessary for it to become reality. In this article, the main focus is social welfare in rural China. The article uses the term ‘social welfare’ in a broad sense, which includes income and