On Livelihood Status Of The Rural Elder Recipitents Of The Minimum Living Standard Security System

With the establishment of the rural social security system and the gradual weakening of the traditional security function, scholars are paying widely attentions to the livelihood status of the rural old recipients of The Minimum Living Standard Security System. Based on a holistic view, the existing research did not pay enough attention to the special group of the rural old recipients. Due to the up-down view and the commonly method of taking family as the unit of analysis, the demands of the recipients, especially the rural old recipients, were ignored in the academic circle of The Minimum Living Standard Security System. The rural old recipients of The Minimum Living Standard Security System are the weakest in the vulnerable groups, whose livelihood status should be concerned by both scholars and society. Doing this research can not only perfect the relevant system and improve the living condition of the old recipients, but also expand the research about rural elderly and the rural subsistence allowances system.The members of the academic tasks of "farmer need-oriented research on rural social security system", supported by national social science fund (project number:08CSH033), made some questionnaire surveys and field interviews in Y town, H city, Hubei province. Based on the information of335rural old people, including78rural old recipients of The Minimum Living Standard Security System, this study described the livelihood security condition of the old recipients at first, such as material support, life care and emotional comfort. Then, the author explored the main influential factors from three aspects of individual, family and society, some suggestions were proposed on how to improve the livelihood status of the old recipients and perfect relevant system finally.It was found that:(1) the livelihood security status of the older recipients made people worrying, and mainly are as follows:First, low income. The main source of income for the elderly is their own "salary", which mainly constituted by the proceeds on disposal of agricultural products, the elderly received less support from the younger generation, as well as low guaranteeing payment. In the daily life, they rarely eat meat dishes and buy new clothes, some only wear the donated one. Due to the lack of medical expenses, a lot of rural old recipients don’t seek medical treatment when they were sick.Second, lacking of caregivers. Even when the older were sick,30%never get services provided by others. The services for rural old recipients were mainly afforded by their spouse, followed by the adult children, while the services provided by social are relatively rare.Third, the rural old recipients have good personal relations, but they were accustomed to suppress negative emotions, as a result of lacking initiatives. They have good relationship with family members, neighborhood and village cadres. However, the older cannot enjoy rich leisure activities.(2) The livelihood status of the old recipients are closely related to their individual characteristics, family characteristics and social situations, which are specific performed as:As for the individual characteristics, those elderly who are in younger age obtain their income mainly by the proceeds on disposal of agricultural products, while those who are older usually depend on the offspring’s maintenance or The Subsistence Allowance System. Those who are younger, have better physical health status or have spouse have high lever of income. In addition to take care of themselves, men and those who have spouse can receive more care from their spouse, compared to women and those who do not have spouse and live alone usually depend on their offsprings. Compared with women and those who are old, men and the younger have less initiative to talk to others. Women and those who do not have spouse usually talk to their offsprings, while men and those who do not have spouse mainly talk to their spouse.As for the family characteristics, those elderly who have spouse and live in large family or have one son obtain their income mainly by the proceeds on disposal of agricultural products, while those who live alone and have no son or have several sons usually depend on the offspring’s maintenance or The Subsistence Allowance System. Those who live in harmonious family and whose offsprings have strong wishes to support them, have high lever of income. Those who have several daughters can get more care afford by daughters. Compared with those who lived with their family, those who lived alone have less initiative to talk to others. Those who have several sons are more willing to talk to their sons when ther were in bad mood, while those who lived with their family are more likely to talk to their spouse, offsprings and neighbors. Those who have better relationships with their family have better mental state than those who have poor family relationships.As for the social capatial, those people, who have better relationship with the village cadres and civil affairs cadres, are more likely to get the qualification of the Minimum Living Standard Security System. Compared with these who donnot have friends or relatives as rural elite or cadres, those who have this kind of friends or relatives are more possible to take the guaranteeing payment as their main income. Those, who have spouse and once worked as a cadre, were cared by their spouse or neighbours when they were sick, however, those who have spouse but didn’t worked as a cadre, usually been cared by their offsprings and relatives. As for the political loyalty, these who supported the village and related public affairs actively are more likely to get the qualification of Minimum Living Standard Security System. Except for their labor income and the guaranteeing payment as well as the younger generation’s support, those once worked as a representative of villagers have more economic resources, some of them worked as self-employed businessmen. Compared with these who raised objections to the village resolutions, those who did not raise objections were mainly cared by their family or relatives, meanwhile, whey were less likely to be cared by the neighbors.(3) According to the preceding analysis, The author proposed that both of the government, the family, individuals and society should contribute to the improving of the status of the rural old recipients.First, more emphasis should be put on state responsibility, as well as build a comprehensive support network; second, consolidate the basis of family security by improve the income of the family; third, using different treatment to enhance self-protection capabilities according to the variability of an individual; fourth, encourage multiple organizations and individuals to participate in providing both material and service for the elderly.