Education Inequality and Successful Ageing in China: Historical Legacies and Policy Implications

Did historical access to education, or lack thereof, make Chinese older adults’ perception of themselves unique as compared to their counterparts across the world? We consider the impacts of idiosyncratic institutional development, particularly in terms of access to formal education, on objective and subjective ageing in China. Using data from a 2018 survey of 6118 aged Chinese, we endogenously identify and generate three composite latent factors representing objective cognitive ability, subjective self-evaluation of health and well-being, and incidence of age-related ailments. We define two linear simultaneous equations representing subjective and objective successful ageing to find that Chinese adults maintain an observable distinction between the two. We further observe the consequences of China’s historical lack of access to formal education amongst this age group and its impact on their ageing. While those directly affected by the Great Leap Forward (1958-1962) and the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976) do not show any direct negative impact on the cognitive ability as older adults, being subject to these policies has permanently impaired their self-esteem, thereby exerting a discernible indirect effect on the cognitive ability of Chinese older adults. Our results demonstrate the importance of multidimensional evaluation of ageing and identify the potential impact of promoting lifelong learning as a Chinese policy response. We suggest that the government recognise the value of cognitive rehabilitation to compensate for the insufficient educational opportunities when young.