Marketization of Eldercare in Urban China: Processes, Effects, and Implications

China is one of the most rapidly aging societies worldwide. As eldercare services have only been developed over last two decades, party-state has increased its efforts by promoting marketization services. Drawing on Vaittinen, Hoppania, and Karsio’s “political economy care” framework, this study conducts a comparative analysis processes in Hangzhou Nanjing to examine local government strategies, their effects service development, socioeconomic implications. I argue that governments pursued “dual-track marketization” strategy. On hand, means-tested public infrastructure, which existed since Mao Zedong era, made subject kinds neoliberal market reforms also found in, for example, European countries, while other an entirely new private infrastructure being set up. logic takes over, however, income- gender-based social inequalities are enhanced.