城乡二元结构下农村互助养老模式的困境与制度化路径

Challenges and Institutionalization Pathways of Rural Mutual Aid Elderly Care Models under the Urban-Rural Dual Structure

摘要: 随着中国人口老龄化进程加速，农村地区“未富先老”与“空心化”叠加的矛盾日益凸显。在城乡二元结构背景下，城乡养老服务供给相差过大、成本较高，农村养老服务供需失衡矛盾突出，使得“在地老化”成为农村养老的最优解。本文立足于农村互助养老模式，深入分析其在城乡二元结构下面临的现实困境，包括资金短缺、服务供给单一、制度规范缺失以及“半熟人社会”的信任危机。研究发现，农村互助养老正处于由“民间自发”向“制度化”的演进过程中。为此，本文提出应通过厘清政府、村集体与家庭的权责边界，构建多元筹资机制，完善法律法规，并依托乡土社会的“守望相助”文化，推动农村互助养老从“无序互助”向“规范互助”转型，最终实现农村老年人的“老有所养、老有所乐”。

Abstract: As China’s population ages rapidly, the rural areas are increasingly facing the compounded challenges of “aging before prosperity” and “hollowing out”. Against the backdrop of a dual urban-rural structure, the significant gap in elderly care services between urban and rural areas, along with high costs, has led to a prominent imbalance between supply and demand for rural elderly care. This makes “aging in place” the optimal solution for rural elderly care. Based on the model of mutual aid-based elderly care in rural areas, this paper deeply analyzes its practical difficulties under the dual urban-rural structure, including funding shortages, limited service offerings, lack of institutional regulations, and trust crises arising from the “semi-acquainted society”. The study finds that rural mutual aid elderly care is currently transitioning from “spontaneous grassroots initiatives” to “institutionalized systems”. To address these issues, the paper proposes clarifying the responsibilities and boundaries among government, village collectives, and families; establishing diversified funding mechanisms; improving relevant laws and regulations; and leveraging the local culture of “mutual support” to promote a transformation from “disorganized mutual aid” to “structured mutual aid”, ultimately achieving the goal of ensuring rural seniors have “adequate care and joyful aging”.