V-Shaped Responsibility of China’s Social Welfare for the Elderly: Based on Analyzing Historical Evolution and Future Sustainability

Weidong Dai
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Weidong Dai: School of Public Administration, Zhejiang University of Finance and Economics, 18 Xueyuan St, Xiasha Higher-Education Zone, Hangzhou 310018, Zhejiang, China

Sustainability, 2019, vol. 11, issue 8, 1-13

Abstract: The aim of this study was to explore the evolution of aging support in China. The findings showed that (1) aging support from 1949–1977 emphasized the responsibility of the family and enterprises; (2) from 1978–2000, government and market responsibility emerged with the shift from a planned economy to a market-oriented economy; and (3) from 2001 onward, a development of social welfare for the elderly was undertaken by the government, but this includes a shared responsibility involving the market, society, family, and individuals. Based on these findings, the responsibility for aging support formed a dynamic V-shaped welfare evolution. This V-shaped welfare responsibility, especially in family support, is sustainable in China and other similar countries around the world.

Keywords: elder care; social welfare; historical evolution; welfare pluralism; responsibility theory; sustainability (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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