The Latest Status of the Economic Security of the Elderly in China

Drawing on the life course perspective and utilizing data from the Third National Women's Status Survey of China,this paper attempts to explore the current status,characteristics and influencing factors of the economic security of the elderly over age 60,highlighting gender gaps.The research results indicate that all else equal,gender per se makes a significant difference in that the female elderly are less secured economically,compared to the male elderly.The economic vulnerability of females is the consequence of their cumulative disadvantages in early life experiences,including lower human capital accumulation,lack of political capital,and lower occupational status.Occupation in their early years of life is a particularly important determinant of economic security in their later years of life.This suggests that it is inadequate to talk about economic security of the elderly by only focusing on the elderly themselves.Rather,enhancing economic security of the female elderly requires a life-long strategy for the development of women.