Old age care concerns and state-society relations in China: public anxiety and state paternalism

Using data from a multiyear national survey, this study examines people's level of concern about care in old age and its temporal change. Our results indicate a rapidly increasing level of anxiety about old age care for people of various age groups, socio-economic status and regions. Our analysis also reveals that a higher proportion of urban residents are concerned about old age care than rural residents in recent years. The concerns have grown amid rapid economic growth and serious government efforts to broaden social insurance coverage. Our data suggest a growing demand for more government involvement in providing for retirement and old age care and such a demand for state paternalism will likely help reshape state-society relations in the future.