Jiwei Qian, The Political Economy of Making and Implementing Social Policy in China

Excerpt

Jiwei Qian’s book, The Political Economy of Making and Implementing Social Policy in China, provides an updated and insightful analysis of an enduring puzzle in Chinese political economy: Why does China’s welfare system continue to exhibit fragmentation, stratification, and shallow benefits, despite expansion in the 2000s? Qian employs a political economy framework to delve into the latest in policy documents, government statistics, and survey data on social policy in China. The book provides a comprehensive analysis of the progress and limitations of China’s recent welfare reforms. Qian examines the various stages of policymaking and implementation in China, from the central government to mid-level bureaucrats to the involvement of society, and how the dynamics at each of these levels undermine the creation of a robust social welfare system. …