中国社会救助制度:从仁慈到正义之路

China's Social Assistance System: from Charity to Justice

伴随着社会主义建设与现代化进程,中国社会救助制度的内涵在不断拓展变迁,其发展大体经历了传统的救灾救济阶段、以城市反贫困为主的改革阶段和城乡统筹、逐步定型规范的阶段。在社会救助制度发展演进的过程中,制度名称从"救济"转为"救助",制度内容从单一生活救助向综合救助过渡,获得救助从接受恩惠转为公民权利,提供救助从道义扶助转为政府责任,这些均意味着制度的精神动力和道德基础发生了根本性的变化,即从仁慈逐步迈上了正义之路。然而,目前制度的发展完善还任重道远,但可以肯定的是正义作为中国现代社会救助制度的道德根基和精神动力的终极目标是不会改变的。

Along with China＇s socialist construction and modernization endeavors, the country＇s social assistance system is also under expansion. The system has so far undergone three stages of traditional disaster-relief efforts, poverty-alleviation-target urban reforms, and urban-rural coordinated and normalized programs. The system was renamed from ＂ relief＂ to ＂ assistance＂ , together with the shift from single life- relief to comprehensive assistance. At mean time reception of assistance is no longer an acceptance of charity, but a right of citizen, and the provision of assistance is government responsibility instead of humanity help. They indicate fundamental changes in the spiritual dynamics and moral basis of the system, that is, a road from charity to justice. Certainly there is still a long way to a perfect system, but it is certain that justice is an unchangeable ultimate goal for the modern social assistance system of China.