ABSTRACT
Since the late 1970s, many countries have seen moves towards welfare reform. This is also the case in China. In spite of the many differences from country to country, not least in terms of the extent of the reforms undertaken, the basic direction of reform has been very similar in all countries concerned. From the post-war welfare state model, which was based on the ideology of social justice and equality, we are moving towards the neo-liberal welfare model, which is based mainly on economic efficiency. A number of social and economic factors have influenced this shift but two are fundamental: economic globalisation and the introduction of market reforms.
