Dilemma in duty and work: Analysis of the street-level bureaucracy in practicing Chinese elderly guardianship

Abstract

This paper aims to examine the practice of elder guardianship by Chinese street-level bureaucracy based on interviews conducted in all 16 areas of Shanghai, China. To this end, it constructs a framework that highlights the hybridity of the mediator, legal-builder, and policy implementer roles within Chinese street-level bureaucracy, following Lipsky’s study on the role of street-level bureaucracy in public service and Alexis de Tocqueville’s concept of “centralized government, decentralized administration.” This framework helps conceptualize how the dilemmas faced by grassroots authorities are shaped both institutionally and socially. It deconstructs the dilemma into two perspectives: the “bottom-up” mediation of governance in dealing with administrative guardianship in the context of private civil affairs, and the “top-down” delegation of authority. Overall, the practice of elder guardianship by Chinese street-level bureaucracy is promoted as an innovative attempt to address the challenges of an aging population. This practice goes beyond a mere transfer of executive power; it is catalyzed by the livelihood needs of the elderly and the political imperative of social stability. The finding suggests that bridging dilemmas by compromising the cultural expectation of filial piety and legal principles of individual rights converges legal regulation and action.