Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item:
https://hdl.handle.net/2440/91787
Type: | Journal article |
Title: | Social security for China's migrant workers - providing for old age |
Author: | Watson, A. |
Citation: | Journal of Current Chinese Affairs, 2009; 38(4):85-115 |
Publisher: | GIGA |
Issue Date: | 2009 |
ISSN: | 1868-1026 1868-4874 |
Statement of Responsibility: | Andrew Watson |
Abstract: | The concept of “migrant workers” derives from the household registration system of China’s planned economy period. The continued existence of that system conflicts with the development of an integrated labour market. The current social security system, based on household registration and a large number of local pools, discriminates against migrant workers because of their mobility and the lack of mechanisms to transfer benefits between pools. As a result, migrants have made major contributions to China’s economic development but do not get the same benefits as urban residents. Faced with this challenge, China’s government has begun to introduce policy reforms to improve social security for migrants. This article explores this development through a focus on old-age insurance. It analyses the special needs of migrants, the obstacles facing policy development and the proposed solutions. It argues that social justice and social equity require the development of a system that treats all citizens equally, and that the logic of an integrated labour market will ultimately require a unified national system of old-age insurance. |
Keywords: | China; migrant workers; social security; old-age insurance; social policy |
Rights: | © Authors. The Journal of Current Chinese Affairs is an Open Access publication. It may be read, copied and distributed free of charge according to the conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivative Works 3.0 License. |
Published version: | http://journals.sub.uni-hamburg.de/giga/jcca/article/view/119 |
Appears in Collections: | Asian Studies publications Aurora harvest 2 |
Files in This Item:
File | Description | Size | Format | |
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hdl_91787.pdf | Published version | 306.79 kB | Adobe PDF | View/Open |
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