ABSTRACT
With China's inclusion in the World Trade Organization, the pace of economic change will quicken in all likelihood and the effects on older members of the population will be painted in even bolder relief. Although China began providing retirement benefits to government officials before 20th century, such provisions never became widespread. In the absence of a social security system, the responsibility for supporting the elderly has customarily belonged to families. Looking at the economic status of Chinese elderly may provide insight into their standard of living. This chapter shows the striking differences in the economic resources of urban and rural elderly in China. The large numbers of elderly residing in rural areas neither face mandatory retirement nor do they have any recourse except to continue to work as long as possible. Examining gender differences in occupational pursuits reveals that the proportion of older women engaged in farming, forestry, animal husbandry, and fishery was even higher than that of older men.
