<論文>市場社会主義中国における社会保障システムの再構築 : 太原市の社会保障制度についての実態調査から

Abstract

Bearing in mind that the state welfare system consists of two axes, the employment security system and the social security system, this paper focuses on the social security system of contemporary China. Market reforms from the late 1970s meant that this country succeeded in the sense of economic growth, while a variety of social issues emerged. In order to prevent further development of social problems such as structural unemployment and urban poverty, reform of the social security system become very urgent for the government. Based on a field survey and literature survey in Taiyuan City, this paper examines public assistance, national pension, and health insurance, as a part of social security reform. Due to the existence of the family register system, a dual-structure society between urban and rural areas had been formed since the planned economy period, which deeply influenced the social security system. However, as the coverage of public assistance and national social insurance expands to the rural areas, such kinds of influence have weakened gradually. For those who fail to gain access to the labor market and employment security, the state supplies limited welfare services on the principle of "wide range but low-level". While markets remain dysfunctional, the welfare services that used to be supplied by the family have also shrunk, due to the dramatically aging population. Through field research of 'Shequ' in Taiyuan City, we may reach the conclusion that in order to complement the welfare functions, the importance of the role of the community is obvious. As all members of China's society have had their identity and social integration transformed as a consequence of market reforms, the community could be the most predictable supporter that can provide welfare services to every resident.