Social Policy Transformation

This dissertation includes four parts. The first part concerns research topic, basic concepts, methodology and significance of the research, and highlights the concept of social policy. The second part explores the process of Chinese social policy since 1950's in four aspects of norms, values, institutions and action system. The third part provides a theoretical explanation on transition of Chinese social policy according to authoritarian politics, economic reform, economic globalization, governance strategy and cultural tradition. The four part prospects the future of Chinese social policy, including key issue of Chinese social policy and construction of developmental social policy in China.Based on analysis of the process of Chinese social policy, this dissertation points out several viewpoints as follow: (1) There is a trend from power-oriented social policy to right-oriented social policy in China. In other words, there will be a balance between public power and individual rights. (2) Values of social policy include three levels, i.e. meta-value idea, basic value idea and value orientation of social policy. Traditional values in China deeply influence the process of social policy, especially social policy in planning era. After the reform, social policy in China was gradually influenced by utilitarianism and liberalism. Value ideas have transferred from utopian collectivism to real collectivism, from egalitarianism to justice, from discriminated paternalism to discriminated residualism. (3) Dual social structure decides dual social welfare system, therefore the government should assume different roles in social welfare in rural and urban areas. At least, in rural area, the government should change its role from minimum-strongest state to responsible government, from urbanite government to citizen government. (4) In the process of policy-making, mass participation is playing useful role; in the process of policy-executing, rule of law is constraining administrative action; in action system of social policy, government, community and NGO function respectively. (5) Social policy is both a relatively independent process of administration and a complicated political process. If the political prerequisite of social welfare is not considered, concrete social policies are difficultly implemented or are distorted.In addition, in this dissertation some theoretical innovations are tried to make. Firstly, the concept of social policy is re-explained. Researches of social policy are just warmed up in 1990's in China and the concept of social policy has not been fully researched, therefore it is necessary to further explore the concept. Secondly, a theoretical frame on transition of social policy is set up based on the four-dimensional perspectives, including norms, values, institutions and action system of social policy. According to the four-dimensional perspectives of social policy, this dissertation focuses on what happens, how is happens and why it happens in the process of social policy, sums up features and laws in social policy change and constructs a theoretical frame on transition of social policy.'Key issue of social policy'is considered as a basic concept. There exist some shortcomings in researches of social policy patterns. For example, social policy patterns are value-free, while in practice social policy is full of value options. Therefore problems of social welfare can not be solved by social policy patterns. This dissertation tries to go out dichotomy or other typology of social policy, focuses on the key issue of social policy and creates a new viewpoint that the key issue of social policy in China is to strengthen social protection for farmers and laborers.The last chapter is concerned with developmental social policy. China is very different from western welfare states in basic national situation, thus China should take both macro and micro paths to developmental social policy. Social policy is both a relatively independent process of administration and a complicated political process. If the political promise of social welfare is not considered and democratic process of social policy is ignored, concrete social policies are difficultly implemented or are distorted. Therefore developmental social policy in China should be based on social justice and aim at liberty through democracy.