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The “Silent Reserves” of the Patriarchal Chinese Welfare System: Women as “Hidden” Contributors to Chinese Social Policy

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  • Yingqi Wang

    (Center for Social Security Studies, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China)

  • Tao Liu

    (School of Public Affairs, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
    Institute of East Asian Studies, University Duisburg-Essen, 47057 Duisburg, Germany)

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.

Suggested Citation

  • Yingqi Wang & Tao Liu, 2020. "The “Silent Reserves” of the Patriarchal Chinese Welfare System: Women as “Hidden” Contributors to Chinese Social Policy," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(15), pages 1-14, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:17:y:2020:i:15:p:5267-:d:387813
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Bingqin Li, 2006. "Urbanization and social policy in China," Asia-Pacific Development Journal, United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), vol. 13(1), pages 1-26, June.
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    Cited by:

    1. Anna Matheson & Jacquie Kidd & Heather Came, 2021. "Women, Patriarchy and Health Inequalities: The Urgent Need to Reorient Our Systems," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(9), pages 1-4, April.

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