With the dual challenges of population aging and low fertility, the pressure on the elderly is increasing. The post-70s and post-80s generation, as a generation under the comprehensive one-child policy, are facing the dilemma of one person having to support two elderly people, and the pressure is very high. In order to alleviate this situation, experts have recently put forward a bold plan: to issue pension "special compensation" to the "post-70s" and "post-80s" in the family planning era, and to provide pension subsidies to the "post-90s" population with many children. Will this be possible, and what will be the implications?
As we all know, China has implemented a decades-long family planning policy that restricts most families from having one or two children. Although this policy has effectively controlled population growth, it has also led to some serious problems, such as demographic imbalances, labor shortages, and pension gaps. Especially for the "post-70s" and "post-80s" generations, they not only have to take on the responsibility of raising children, but also take care of their elderly parents, and their own pension security is not optimistic.
To address this issue, experts suggest that two generations should be given appropriate compensation in recognition of their support for China's family planning policy. This not only recognises their past contributions, but also strengthens their hopes and expectations for the future. Specific measures include paying personal pensions for these groups at the rate of 2% of the national average wage level**, and each person can receive a subsidy of about 2,000 yuan per year. This will not only increase their pension replacement rate, but also help reduce inequality in income distribution.
Of course, the target group for the implementation of compensation measures is not limited to the "post-70s" and "post-80s", but also covers the younger generation, including the "post-90s". Although this generation is not directly constrained by the family planning policy, it also faces challenges when it comes to fertility, such as the financial burden of education expenses, housing shortages, and fierce competition in the workplace. Based on this, some experts suggest that the state needs to use corresponding stimulus policies to motivate them to increase their willingness to have children, so as to increase the birth rate and alleviate the problem of population aging in society. Specific measures can be taken by providing a pension subsidy of 2,000 yuan per year for each child, and 1,000 yuan for each parent. Such initiatives aim to reduce the mental stress on young families when raising their children and to ensure that the benefits are used appropriately and effectively.
At first glance, the program is attractive, but it comes with its own set of challenges and potential risks. The first challenge is economic; ** There will be an additional fiscal expenditure of about 1 trillion yuan per year, which is not a small amount for the national finances. In response to this increased economic pressure,** special financing measures, including inheritance and gift taxes, may be required. Moreover, relying solely on pension subsidies cannot completely reduce the fertility problem. This needs to be combined with policies such as building a sound social safety net, providing high-quality educational resources, and creating a flexible and diverse employment environment to address the problem in a comprehensive manner.
In addition, the implementation of pension subsidies may inadvertently give rise to a series of social problems, such as discrimination against childbirth, intensified competition for childbirth, and concerns about the quality of childbirth. Therefore, it is necessary to establish appropriate regulatory bodies and take effective measures to guide and manage them with a view to reducing these negative impacts.