The Political Economy of Making and Implementing Social Policy in China

The book presents a superb analysis of the details of social policies in China within their broader historical, political, and economic contexts.
–-M. Ramesh, UNESCO Chair Professor of Social Policy Design in Asia, Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy , National University of Singapore



“This excellent book provides the most timely, informative, and comprehensive discussion on the bureaucratic politics in China's social policy and welfare reforms especially since the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic. It is a must-read for anyone interested in China's social policy, central-local relations, or political economy. “
–- Xian Huang, Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science, Rutgers University

This book explores the institutional factors in social policymaking and implementation in China. From the performance evaluation system for local cadres to the intergovernmental fiscal system, local policy experimentation, logrolling among government departments, and the “top-level” design, there are a number of factors that make policy in China less than straightforward. The book argues that it is bureaucratic incentive structure lead to a fragmented and stratified welfare system in China. Using a variety of Chinese- and English-language sources, including central and local government documents, budgetary data, household surveys, media databases, etc., this book covers the development of China’s pensions, health insurance, unemployment insurance, and social assistance programs since the 1990s, with a focus on initiatives since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Providing a deeper understanding of policymaking and implementation in China, this book interests scholars of public administration, political economy, Asian politics, and social development.


Jiwei QIAN is a senior research fellow at the East Asia Institute, National University of Singapore. His research has been published in leading journals including The China Quarterly, Journal of European Social Policy, Journal of Social Policy, Public Choice, Social Policy and Administration, and Social Science & Medicine among others