Title: Gender and the welfare state in China

Authors: Tonia Warnecke

Addresses: Department of Economics, Rollins College, 1000 Holt Avenue, Box 2751, Winter Park, FL 32789 USA

Abstract: In recent years, the scope of welfare state analysis – originally focused on advanced, industrialised Western countries – has expanded to include developing countries such as China. This paper investigates the evolution of the Chinese welfare state from 1949 to the present day, incorporating a gender perspective. Of particular interest is the evolution of welfare mechanisms and their effects on gender-differentiated outcomes. The paper therefore notes the ways that economic reform and welfare reform interlink to affect women|s access to various welfare state benefits. Gendered patterns of migration and informal labour are also examined in this context.

Keywords: China; gender; welfare state; economic transition; informal labour; migration; developing countries; welfare mechanisms; gender-differentiated outcomes; economic reforms; welfare reforms; women; state benefits; gendered patterns; business; globalisation; Asia.

DOI: 10.1504/IJBG.2011.037319

International Journal of Business and Globalisation, 2011 Vol.6 No.1, pp.44 - 53

Published online: 27 Sep 2014 *

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