Socialist Insecurity: Pensions and the Politics of Uneven Development in China

摘要

Mark Frazier's book explains the difficult and unique politics of Chinese pension reform better than any other study to date and is likely to remain the definitive work on the topic for some time. It also sheds light on wider issues of Chinese political economy and governance and, in so doing, points the way toward promising new research agendas on Chinese politics more broadly. Meticulously researched and beautifully written, Socialist Insecurity begins with the argument that China's particular pattern of uneven development has given rise to its patchwork admixture of pension schemes and welfare regimes, which have varied over time, between regions, and across different types of employers. It then traces the evolution of China's pension system, explores the dynamics created by specific financial and political incentives given to local governments, and unpacks how firms have influenced pension reform, before finally analysing public opinion and popular reactions to the changing pension system.