Chinese housing policy 1949-1978: the development of a welfare system

To a large extent, recent housing reform in China is a reversal of housing policy in the Mao era. However, little has been written on this historical period. This paper contributes to this important but neglected history of housing policy. It analyses the development of national housing policy between 1949 and 1978. It examines the process of, principles of, and instruments for policy formulation, the nature of Maoist housing policy and its impacts. This paper argues that Maoist housing policy was mainly determined by ideological and political considerations. Housing policy appeared to be insensitive to housing needs but responded well to political and ideological principles. It was part of an integrated national economic and political policy and served the whole national development strategy but not the housing sector alone. Any isolated analysis from a purely housing perspective could lead to misunderstanding.