Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-t8hqh Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-23T06:08:49.350Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Intergenerational solidarity and old-age support for the social inclusion of elders in Mainland China: the changing roles of family and government

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 December 2012

PENG DU
PENG DU*
Affiliation:
Institute of Gerontology, Renmin University of China, Beijing, China.
*
Address for correspondence: Du Peng, Institute of Gerontology, Renmin University of China, Beijing, 100872, China. E-mail: dupeng@ruc.edu.cn
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

China's population has been ageing rapidly since the 1980s, with 178 million older persons (60 years or over) in 2010 and 450 million expected by 2050. The sheer size of the ageing population means that there is an urgent need to tackle ageing issues and improve social policies in order to achieve intergenerational solidarity, sustainable development and a harmonious society. This paper will summarise the issues and debates in the past decade on social exclusion and discuss the progress of policies and practices with respect to social inclusion. The focus of discussion will be on (a) ways to improve the social security system so as to achieve a better balance of formal and informal supports, (b) development of community services for meeting the needs of older people living alone or having special needs in daily living, and (c) new initiatives for balancing formal support and filial piety, taking into account the younger generation's expectation that in order to maintain the important role of filial piety in modern China, the ability to fulfil filial obligations must be supported by the development of formal support beyond the family. In addition, some emerging issues and challenges will also be discussed.

Keywords

ageingsocial inclusionolder peoplefilial pietyfamilyChina
Type
Articles
Information
Ageing & Society , Volume 33 , Issue 1: Ageing and Social Inclusion/Exclusion , January 2013 , pp. 44 - 63
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2012

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Chen, G. 2009. Filial Piety and the Older People Support in Transitional China. China Society Press, Beijing.Google Scholar
Cheung, C. K., Kwan, A. Y. H. and Ng, S. H. 2006. Impacts of filial piety on preference for kinship versus public care. Journal of Community Psychology, 34, 5, 617–34.Google Scholar
Ding, K. J. 2005. Building a harmonious society: from social exclusion to social inclusion. Journal of Modern World and Socialism, 85, 1, 53–7.Google Scholar
Du, P. 2007. Reconsideration of ‘getting old before getting rich’. Population Research, 31, 1, 46–56.Google Scholar
Du, P., Zhai, Z. W. and Chen, W. 2005. Projection on population ageing in China. Population Research, 29, 6, 90–3.Google Scholar
Editorial Board of Population Research, 2006. Does China getting old before getting rich. Population Research, 30, 1, 23–37.Google Scholar
Feng, W. M. 2011. Social Exclusion of the Elderly in Contemporary China: One Empirical Study Based on the Surveys in Six Provinces. Revised OECD Paper 12.17. Available online at http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/12/31/46837621.pdf [Accessed 10 September 2011].Google Scholar
Guo, P. and Chen, G. 2009. Data Analysis of the Sampling Survey of the Aged Population in Urban/Rural China 2006. China Society Press, Beijing.Google Scholar
Kennett, P. and Mizuuchi, T. 2010. Homelessness, housing insecurity and social exclusion in China, Hong Kong, and Japan. City, Culture and Society, 1, 3, 111–8.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Li, B. 2002. Social exclusion and China's city housing system reform. Social Sciences Research, 33, 3, 106–10.Google Scholar
Li, D. M., Chen, T. Y. and Wu, Z. Y. 2006. Comparison of life and psychological status of the older people between families with children absent and families with children. Chinese Journal of Gerontology, 26, 3, 294–6.Google Scholar
Li, J. M. 2007. ‘Getting old before getting rich’ or ‘getting old before getting ready’? Population Research, 31, 4, 52–5.Google Scholar
Ministry of Civil Affairs 2011. 2010 Statistical Report on Social Service Development. Available online at http://www.mca.gov.cn/article/zwgk/mzyw/201106/20110600161364.shtml [Accessed 15 September 2011].Google Scholar
Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security 2011 a. Statistics Bulletin on Human Resources and Social Security in 2010. Available online at http://www.molss.gov.cn/gb/zwxx/2011-05/24/content_391125.htm [Accessed 15 September 2011].Google Scholar
Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security 2011 b. 199 Million Farmers Participate in the Rural Social Endowment Insurance. Available online at http://www.gov.cn/jrzg/2011-07/25/content_1913640.htm [Accessed 15 September 2011].Google Scholar
Ministry of Public Health 2011. 2010 Bulletin on China's Public Health. Available online at http://www.moh.gov.cn/publicfiles/business/htmlfiles/mohwsbwstjxxzx/s7967/201104/51512.htm [Accessed 6 October 2011].Google Scholar
Ng, S. H. 2002. Will families support their elders? Answers from across cultures. In Nelson, T. (ed.), Ageism: Stereotyping and Prejudice Against Older Persons. MIT Press, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 295–309.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sen, A. 2000. Social Exclusion: Concept, Application, and Scrutiny. Office of Environment and Social Development, Asian Development Bank, June. Available online at http://housingforall.org/Social_exclusion.pdf [Accessed 6 October 2011].Google Scholar
State Statistics Bureau 2010. 2009 China Population. China Statistics Press, Beijing.Google Scholar
State Statistics Bureau 2011 a. Bulletin on 2010 China Population Census. Available online at http://stats.gov.cn/tjgb/rkpcgb/qgrkpcgb/t20110428_402722232.htm [Accessed 6 October 2011].Google Scholar
State Statistics Bureau 2011 b. Statistical Bulletin on 2010 National Economic and Social Development. Available online at http://www.stats.gov.cn/tjgb/ndtjgb/qgndtjgb/t20110228_402705692.htm [Accessed 12 October 2011].Google Scholar
Tang, J. 2002. The basic aim of social policy: from poverty alleviation to elimination of social exclusion. Jiangsu Social Science, 23, 3, 41–7.Google Scholar
Townsend, P. 1957. The Family Life of Old People: An Inquiry in East London. Routledge and Kegan Paul, London.Google Scholar
Wan, H., Sengupta, W., Zhang, K. and Guo, P. 2007. Health and Health Care of the Older Population in Urban and Rural China. 2000 International Population Reports, US Department of Health and Human Services, Washington DC, USA.Google Scholar
Wang, D. 2004. New filial piety culture and its functions. Population Research, 28, 3, 76–81.Google Scholar
World Bank 2011. GDP per Capita. Available online at http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GDP.PCAP.CD [Accessed 23 October 2011].Google Scholar
Yi, L. 2008. Cultural Exclusion in China: Education, Social Mobility and Cultural Difference. Routledge, Abingdon, UK.Google Scholar
Yue, X. and Ng, S. H. 1999. Filial obligations and expectations in China: current views from young and old people in Beijing. Asian Journal of Social Psychology, 2, 2, 215–26.Google Scholar