Abstract
Scholars of social inequality in China have commonly concentrated on strata-related social welfare systems that divide the population into urban and rural dwellers, and additionally, into different welfare classes such as civil servants, employees, and migrant workers. Following Esping-Andersen, Siaroff, Sainsbury, and others, this paper brings the perspective of “gendering welfare” into the study of Chinese social policy. Focusing upon two major social policy branches in China—the old age pension insurance system and care services within the household—it discusses the role of Chinese women in these two fields. Through a gender-sensitive analysis, this paper elaborates the social phenomenon of “silent reserves” (namely, women) within the Chinese welfare regime. While women assume a crucial role in intrafamily care services, constituting the chief contributors of long-term care and childcare, their care contributions at home are not recognized as “social achievements” and are not monetarily compensated by the patriarchal Chinese welfare state. In addition, this paper argues that women are systematically disadvantaged by pension insurance arrangements. Furthermore, the individualization of care services in the intrafamily context weakens the pension entitlements of women, since their unpaid care constrains their ability to maintain full-time jobs in the labor market.
Highlights
Research on Chinese social policy within international academia has mushroomed, with various studies concentrated on different social policy areas, including several social insurance branches, social assistance, and social welfare [1,2,3,4]
China remains a ‘backward’ and masculine welfare regime from the feminist perspective compared to more advanced gendering and feminizing welfare states
Scandinavian states (e.g., Norway, Finland, Sweden, and Iceland), all of which are Protestant social democratic welfare states, a progressive and more gender-equal welfare state has emerged, which is characterized by a highly developed public sector including elderly care, full-day childcare facilities and centers and full-day schools, high female employment rates, and proportionally, the highest share of women’s employment in leadership positions. Mediterranean states such as Italy, Spain, Portugal, and Greece constitute the counter-pole of the advanced Scandinavian welfare states
Summary
Research on Chinese social policy within international academia has mushroomed, with various studies concentrated on different social policy areas, including several social insurance branches, social assistance, and social welfare [1,2,3,4]. One of the primary data sources is the newly published report by the International Labour Organization (ILO), “Care work and care jobs for the future of decent work” (2018) [10], which provides data on education, (paid and unpaid) care work by women, and the uneven involvement of men and women in household chores around the globe, and it includes correspondingly the world regional data and data on China Through synthesizing these different data sources, we reconstruct the social status and social entitlements of Chinese women, who remain in a precarious situation and who are systematically disadvantaged, regardless of the rhetoric on gender equality formally anchored in the Chinese constitution. China remains a ‘backward’ and masculine welfare regime from the feminist perspective compared to more advanced gendering and feminizing welfare states
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callMore From: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
