Du licenciement à l’exclusion : situation des salariés licenciés dans la Chine d’aujourd’hui

The article first describes how unemployment was portrayed in socialist ideology in China and how, based on this ideology, the occupational safety of Chinese workers, which was mainly the responsibility of the firm, was constructed. This system was weakened by the structural adjustment of the economy following the reform and opening-up of China. The political decision to turn hidden unemployment into open unemployment swelled the number of “displaced workers”. The experimental reform of the social protection system, which started in July 2001 and should spread throughout the country, should lead to a deterioration of the situation of these workers, with high risks of poverty and exclusion. The article concludes with two suggestions to prevent this exclusion: first, establish labour standards in the labour market and second, improve mechanisms for guaranteed minimum income. The author also points out that the peasants, who represent a vast majority of the Chinese population, are still without social coverage, which is the most severe form of social exclusion.