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Social Policy Responses to the Covid-19 Crisis in China in 2020

Author

Listed:
  • Quan Lu

    (China Social Security Research Center, Renmin University of China, Beijing 100872, China)

  • Zehao Cai

    (School of Public Administration, China University of Labor Relations, Beijing 100045, China)

  • Bin Chen

    (School of Sociology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China)

  • Tao Liu

    (School of Public Affairs, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
    Center of Social Welfare and Governance, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
    Institute of East Asian Studies, University Duisburg-Essen, 47057 Duisburg, Germany)

Abstract

The 2020 coronavirus pandemic has catapulted China into a serious social and political crisis. This article focuses upon how Chinese social policy has responded to the Covid-19 crisis. It reveals that the Chinese welfare state has woven a comprehensive social safety net to mitigate the social suffering of Chinese society in the mid- and post-crisis periods. Different types of social policy programs have been combined and synthesized, including social insurance, social assistance, and social welfare arrangements. Facing the challenges of the new risks caused by the pandemic, the collaboration of the Chinese state and intermediary social welfare organizations has played a crucial role in providing both cash benefits and social services (benefits in kind). For the first time, social policy in China has acted as a major player for coping with the negative outcomes of a pandemic. This article concludes that the pandemic-related crisis has justified an interventionist approach and logic, driven by the state’s welfare system, which favors a model of “big government”. However, this model also requires justification and legitimation.

Suggested Citation

  • Quan Lu & Zehao Cai & Bin Chen & Tao Liu, 2020. "Social Policy Responses to the Covid-19 Crisis in China in 2020," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(16), pages 1-14, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:17:y:2020:i:16:p:5896-:d:398876
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Fang Cai & Yang Du, 2015. "The Social Protection System in Ageing China," Asian Economic Policy Review, Japan Center for Economic Research, vol. 10(2), pages 250-270, July.
    2. Jeffrey D. Sachs, 1991. "Crossing the Valley of Tears in East European Reform," Challenge, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 34(5), pages 26-34, September.
    3. Martin Loosemore, 1999. "A grounded theory of construction crisis management," Construction Management and Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 17(1), pages 9-19.
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Gao, Mingyun & Yang, Honglin & Xiao, Qinzi & Goh, Mark, 2022. "COVID-19 lockdowns and air quality: Evidence from grey spatiotemporal forecasts," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 83(C).
    2. Alex Jingwei He & Chunni Zhang & Jiwei Qian, 2022. "COVID-19 and social inequality in China: the local–migrant divide and the limits of social protections in a pandemic [Impact of risk perception on migrant workers’ employment choice during the COVI," Policy and Society, Darryl S. Jarvis and M. Ramesh, vol. 41(2), pages 275-290.
    3. Xu, Jia & Bahmani-Oskooee, Mohsen & Karamelikli, Huseyin, 2022. "China’s trade in services and role of the exchange rate: An asymmetric analysis," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 74(C), pages 747-757.
    4. Tao Lian & Shamsheer ul Haq & Pomi Shahbaz & Lei Zhao & Muhammad Nadeem & Babar Aziz, 2022. "Changing Food Patterns during the Pandemic: Exploring the Role of Household Dynamics and Income Stabilization Strategies," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(1), pages 1-20, December.

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