Unveiling the Multi-dimensional Risks of Returning to Poverty: Insights from the Transformation of China's Poverty Alleviation Policies

Abstract The eradication of absolute poverty in China by 2020 marked a significant milestone, yet ensuring sustained prosperity remains a critical challenge in the country’s rural revitalization agenda (2021–2050). This study indicates that individuals escaping poverty confront multifaceted risks of returning, shedding light on the unintended consequences of policy transformation in poverty alleviation. County G in Y Province, chosen for its representativeness and diversity of challenges, served as the study site. Inductive content analysis, involving 25 participants through in-depth interviews, was utilized for data analysis. A semi-structured interview guide, unanimously agreed upon by researchers, facilitated discussions on the risks of returning to poverty before and after the implementation of poverty alleviation policies. This study identifies and categorizes multi-dimensional risks linked to poverty-returning, encompassing general risks predating poverty alleviation initiatives and policy-induced risks from shifts in poverty alleviation measures.Findings deepen our understanding of these risks, highlighting general risks such as natural disasters, resource scarcity, and limited social support, as well as the policy-induced risks due to shifts in strategies that have led to decreased support for rural areas. The research underscores the inherent instability of policy transitions in anti-poverty efforts and calls for policymakers to address this vulnerability by crafting more sustainable poverty reduction strategies.