Services Are Lacking For The Rural Poor

Protests and violence have erupted in China's rural areas, where many of the country's poorest people struggle to find jobs. The government has pledged to improve spending to help provide for the rural poor and improve access to public services.

2 minute read

March 16, 2007, 6:00 AM PDT

By Nate Berg


"China's government continues to make some effort to address the root causes of rural discontent. Most recently, it has announced increases in spending on rural healthcare and education, as well as plans to expand the rural social insurance and welfare systems. However, significant challenges remain. Central government spending on rural development continues to fall short, with local governments expected to provide most of the funds for public services in the countryside. Also, the actual implementation of policies promulgated in Beijing depends crucially on the co-operation of local governments, which are often complicit in the land seizures and corruption that fuel rural protests."

"China's top leaders, some of whom have served in China's less-developed western provinces, continue to push reforms aimed at addressing the root causes of rural social unrest. In early March the ministry of finance announced that central government spending on healthcare would rise by 90%, while education spending would rise by 40%. At the current session of the National People's Congress (NPC), China's top legislative body, in Beijing, the central government announced it would spend Rmb392bn (US$50.6bn) on rural development, an increase of Rmb52bn over 2006 and of Rmb94bn over 2005."

"The central government funds will be used to expand China's social-welfare system, which aims to establish a minimum living allowance for the rural poor, and the rural co-operative medical system. To reduce discontent produced by lay-offs from state-owned enterprises, the government also plans reforms to its unemployment insurance and work-related injury compensation schemes. Land-use conversion regulations have also been tightened in an effort to reduce unrest provoked by unfair seizures of land."

Thursday, March 15, 2007 in The Economist

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 2, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Aerial view of town of Wailuku in Maui, Hawaii with mountains in background against cloudy sunset sky.

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly

Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

July 1, 2025 - Honolulu Civil Beat

Person wearing mask walking through temporary outdoor dining setup lined with bistro lights at dusk in New York City.

Restaurant Patios Were a Pandemic Win — Why Were They so Hard to Keep?

Social distancing requirements and changes in travel patterns prompted cities to pilot new uses for street and sidewalk space. Then it got complicated.

June 19, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Aerial view of new neifhborhood under construction with enpty lots in foreground.

In California Battle of Housing vs. Environment, Housing Just Won

A new state law significantly limits the power of CEQA, an environmental review law that served as a powerful tool for blocking new development.

July 2 - CALmatters

Low-rise Pearl Sreet mall in Boulfer, Colorado.

Boulder Eliminates Parking Minimums Citywide

Officials estimate the cost of building a single underground parking space at up to $100,000.

July 2 - Boulder Reporting Lab

Two-story buildings with porches in walkable Florida neighborhood.

Orange County, Florida Adopts Largest US “Sprawl Repair” Code

The ‘Orange Code’ seeks to rectify decades of sprawl-inducing, car-oriented development.

July 2 - CNU Public Square