The Rise, Changes Of Social Welfare Services In Modern Cities And The Transformation Of Its Models

This thesis reviewed and studied the rise and changes of social welfare services in cities in China after 1840, especially in the 20^th century. Using the theories of public sphere and social welfare, the thesis firstly established analytic model applying to social welfare services in cities, then taking Wuhan as an example, reviewed and analyzed the rise and changes of the system of social welfare services in modern cities. Basing on collecting a host of historic materials, the thesis objectively described and analyzed the development of Wuhan's welfare services on the roles and mutual relation of state and society, the scope of people and level protected by welfare services. It tried to seek the laws and features of the development of social welfare services in Chinese cities during the course of modernization, and pointed out the inspirations which historic experiences give the reform and development of social welfare services in cities in the new century. This thesis is mainly divided according to historical periods. Besides introduction, it consisted of seven chapters; the main contents of each chapter are as follows.The first chapter discussed the procession of emergence and development of modern cities in China, and summarized several features which only traditional cities in China had. Then from the view of state, society and public sphere, reviewed the history of shaping and growth of modern cities in China. After the late Qing Dynasty, civil organizations were developing, the Western culture also invaded Chinese society, these contributed to the rapid expansion of public sphere in modern cities; even led to the growth of civil society. At last, this chapter analyzed the developing procession of modern city of Wuhan, and summed up the chief features of modern city of Wuhan.The second chapter reviewed social background of the rise of social welfare services in modern cities, which mainly includes historic, realistic and ideological background. Historic background is the activities of social welfare in traditional cities in China. These activities have a long history, but are temporary and at will. Realistic background is various social problems emerged in the procession of urban modernization, the social problems include two kinds, one kind is caused by natural reasons and other kind caused by social reasons. Ideological background is the subjective motives that people are engaged in social welfare services. The chapter analyzed thoughts reasons and personal motives that state, civil society and western churches took up welfare services.The third chapter described specific appearance of the rise of social welfare servicesin cities in the period of the Republic of China. At first, the chapter briefly introduced developing situation of Wuhan's welfare services in late Qing Dynasty. In this period, the welfare services run by the government were increasingly declining, but the civil activities of welfare services were more and more thriving. Then the chapter specifically described developing situation of Wuhan's welfare services in the period of the Republic of China. The state and society both increased taking part in public sphere and welfare services in this period. Moreover, the welfare services run by Western churches were growing on the whole, also took an important role in the activities of welfare services in Wuhan.The fourth chapter analyzed the models of Wuhan's welfare services in the period of the Republic of China. These analyses are divided into two respects. The first respect analyzed the structure between state and society in the activities of welfare services. From the view of the roles taken by state and society, the welfare services in Wuhan can be concluded as the model of large society and small state; from the view of the relation between state and society, it can be generalized as the model of cooperation and supervision, which indicates that civil society is alien to the society of China except few cases. The second respect applied the theory of social welfare to analyzing the model of welfare services. From the view of the scope of people protected by welfare services, it can be concluded as the partly residual model; from the view of the level and effect protected by welfare services, it can be summarized as the model of relief and existence. The effect of the welfare services in Wuhan is very limited. Lastly, the thesis analyzed the social functions undertaken by welfare services in Wuhan in the period of the Republic of China.The fifth chapter studied the changes and models of social welfare services in cities in the period of planned economy. After 1949, in line with the theory of socialism, the state gradually penetrated, controlled and annexed the society, consequently the society almost disappeared. In the field of social welfare services, the system of state welfare which protects jobless people was established. In the respect of state and society, from the view of the roles taken by state and society the welfare services can be called the model of main body-negligible part; from the view of the relation between state and society it can be called the model of assimilation and control. In the respect of social welfare theory, from the view of the scope of people protected, the welfare services can be concluded as the residual model; from the view of the level protected by welfare...