China’s Changing of The Guard

Ramifications for "Social Harmony"

Mao and the next generation

The linked article speaks to China standing at the crossroads as it moves forward to late 2012 when the fifth generation of Chinese leadership will take their seats at the helm of the fastest growing and, potentially, the most volatile country in the world.

Thirty two years ago then China's Paramount Leader Deng Xiaoping  implemented far reaching reform and opening up policies. Policies that would see drastic changes to the very fabric of China’s society, culture and economy. 

These policies see a vastly different China today then the one that existed then. A China that has experienced the most astonishing economic growth in history, to a point now, where it stands as the second biggest economy in the world and poised to overtake the United States in the not too distant future.

But this economic miracle has not been without it’s costs particularly concerning China’s social stability, or “Social Harmony” as it is generally referred as.

Rapid growth has seen many changes in China’s society and culture. The move to a “market economy” on the principle, pretty much, of “laissez fare” has seen seismic shifts in wealth distribution in China, not only as between rural and urban dwellers, but also within urban areas between the emergent “middle class” and the others.

As well there has been drastic changes between regions within China with the coastal regions growing exponentially and the central and western regions lagging considerably behind.

The “market economy” policy allows money to flow to those regions and industries that have “competitive advantage”, in the case of China, this means the coastal areas, areas that have ready access to export facilities, relationships with foreigners and transport infrastructure.

Prior to the “opening up” internal investment was centrally controlled. Money was divided up reasonably equitably between regions and provinces. Post “opening up” this has changed with Government money following private money. As the coastal  regions grew so did government investment in those areas to support the private sector’s growth. This investment was diverted to a degree from other areas. Thus, the likes of Tibet, Inner Mongolia, Xinjiang and many central provinces such as Qinghai' went backwards in their share of the national pie, becoming relatively poorer.

Rural industries likewise suffered vis a vis manufacturing and exporting industries causing a rural/urban-industrial income divide, exacerbated by the drain of rural workers to the factories and construction sites of the coast. 

On an individuals level inequities have became apparent and continue to grow. With wealth pouring into China a new “Middle Class” emerged and continues to expand. Educated, urban, worldly, technologically savvy and growing considerably more affluent, they wield not inconsiderable power economically and politically.Thus a “middle income trap” came into play where the government pandered to the wealthy to the neglect of the others.

On top of these "food in the mouth" issues there are others eating away at China’s “Harmony”. 

Rampant corruption consumes the nation. This is not a new phenomenon, it has been a way of life in China for millennia. What has changed is that with new avenues of communication, a rise in general education standards, the growing disparity between the haves and the have nots the latter are asking “What about me?”

Rapid industrialisation also has seen the need for land to build factories and infrastructure and many times this has been acquired without due concern for the original occupiers. Repossessions, forced evictions and the like have seriously affected millions. The Three Gorges Dam project saw the relocation of some 1.24 million people, the Beijing Olympics saw an estimated 1.5 million relocated,  forcibly, in a lot of cases.

These examples are only the tip of the iceberg. Such land grabbing has brought immense pressure on the available supply of housing stock, particularly for low income earners, with the resultant increase in rent and decrease in the quality of accommodation not to mention the dignity of those affected.

Another issue is the phenomenon of China’s “Migrant workers” or Mingong. As the term implies they are a 225 million strong floating and marginalised group wanted by no-one but the businesses they slave for.

Hailing from rural areas they work for little money, in the worst conditions, living in substandard accommodations and without the protections and welfare support of China’s Hukou Registration system or Organised Labour. The potential for social disharmony issuing from this class of citizen is incalculable. A recent riot in Chazou in Guandong province proves that the potential for discord is bubbling just below the surface.

And finally not to mention the perennial problems and potentiality for disturbance in Xinjiang, Tibet and, now, rumblings in the normally quiet Inner Mongolia. Not only are there ethnic/cultural differences at play but these inherent problems have been further exacerbated by all of the foregoing.

Maintenance of "Social Harmony" a Must

The maintenance of Social Harmony has to be of paramount importance in China, a country of 1.3 billion, and there is disquiet within the Chinese Communist Party that the government has allowed “liberalisation” “opening up” “market economy” and “peaceful rising” policies to have gone too far. That in fact the policies are impacting very negatively on “Social Harmony”.

Just recently the State owned press organ People’s Daily has had several editorials and op-eds on issues relating to “Social Harmony” such as CCP discipline, Co-Operation, Religious Freedom and pace and style of democratic reform  One editorial piece Bring social cohesion into full play sums it all up.

This all goes towards proof that with the “Riot Season” upon them the Chinese government is very concerned at the moment.

Thus, China is at a  very important crossroads and all bets seem to be that, with the new generation, there will be a stepping back. A change not particularly to a Mao type era but certainly back to a more Marxist Socialist ideology that has been departed from over the last 30 odd years.

China has enormous issues to contend with and there are many, many more then have been touched on here, none the least being energy, pollution and food. The list is seemingly endless. 

The CPC knows that it has to get the balance right for it is to survive well into the future and priority above all priorities in China is the survival of the Chinese Communist Party.

How this will be achieved and how it will pan out in terms of “Social Harmony” is really anybodies guess. As they say it is hard to stop a horse once it has bolted and there is a hell of a lot of “Social Harmonising” to be done.

And the world should wait with bated breath.

Ai Wei Wei: Maybe the Chinese are Right?




Ai Wei Wei

 
Ai Wei Wei was arrested and the Western Press screamed "Human Rights Violation" "Censorship" "Trumped Up Charges"

But what if the charges to be brought against Wei Wei are founded?

Will we all skulk away and forget we opened our mouths or will we attempt to protect our dignity and claim "Miscarriage of Justice" and hope that it all goes quietly away?

I for one think that Wei Wei is probably guilty. I think that with his high international profile and with the taste of the good life, that he may have thought that he was above the law or smart enough to evade detection.

I believe that such a high profile person would not have been detained at this point in time unless the Chinese officials have fairly strong grounds for their actions.

I do not believe that they would attract so much attention to themselves given the West's obsession with "Freedom of Speech" unless they were pretty sure that the charges and the case will pass some very intense scrutiny.

"Jasmine Revolution"?  I do not think so. The Chinese have the so called "Jasmine Revolution" well under control from their point of view, if it ever existed at all.

Plain human greed and pride? More than likely.

China's Mingong: Plight of China's Migrant Workers

They say you can spot a Mingong a mile away. Dirty, disheveled from the day's exertion, careblown and exhausted with a plaintive look.

The Mingong, or as is better known in the west as China's vast army of migrant workers is the faceless fuel of the most rapidly growing economy in the world.

Unheralded and unloved by his fellow citizens he works long hours for low pay, if, he gets any at all. He toils generally in the most dirtiest, the most dangerous and the most unwanted of occupations far away from his home town, families and friends. He lives, most times, in crowded, unsanitary conditions, living on meagre provisions and dreaming of his once a year spring soujourn to his home town , a  home coming described by some as one of the great movements of people in the world.

But the Mingong is the backbone of China's meteoric economic rise, so, why then does the world and his own country treat him with such disdain? As if his human rights, his dreams and his aspirations are meaningless. Why is he so visibly invisible?

Who then is this Mingong? This "Migrant" in his own land?

Estimates are that there are 150 million Migrant Workers in China. The number is expected to reach in excess of 200 million by 2012 and pass 300 million by 2025. They are citizens of China but have moved typically from rural areas such as Sichuan, Hunan, Henan, Anhui and Jiangxi Provinces where employment opportunities are drying up to the cities and regions of stupendous economic growth in the east.

Typically they move for economic reasons: greater emploment opportunities, higher pay, but some, though not many, for the excitement of seeing the bright lights of a more vibrant China.

Like most migrants in history they tend to gravitate to employment that is unwanted by the locals.  Usually dirty work, low paid and dangerous. Jobs in coal mining, construction and lower level service industries such as China's expanding food industry.

In these occupations they are looked down upon and derided by locals. They are "The peasants who want to be workers"

Why Is Their Plight a Human Rights Issue?

Yes the migrant worker chooses to leave his home, he voluntarily goes to seek greater rewards to send home to provide for his family.

That in itself is good, it is aspirational, it is what most people all over the world do, strive to better themselves. It is, however, how he is treated by employees and the Government and the results of this treatment that makes it a Human Rights Issue,

Worker/ Employee Relations

The Mingong is looked down upon and they are treated as nothing better, in a lot of instances, then an expendable resource. They are contracted at low rates of pay which generally includes sub-standard, crowded and unsanitary accommodation and food, which their employees deduct from their pay sometimes at outrageous cost. Having little protection by unions or government they can sometimes go unpaid for months, if they get paid at all.

They have none or little access to pension and health insurance. According to a study by Feng, Zuo and Ruan (2002) only 14 per cent had health insurance and 10 per cent had pension plans.

Due to their status and occupation work safety is a major issue. They lack basic and proper Occupational Health and Safety protection. In 2005, for example, there were 100,000 occupational related deaths in China and obviosly countless work related injuries and illnesses. The Mingong, the Chinese Migrant worker, would appear very noticebaly in these statistics if they have even been quantified.

Worker/ State Relations

Unfortunately wherever there is money there is motive for greed and avarice. This is universal. However, we in the west are protected from the excesses of this human nature flaw by strong Political governance and the support of the likes of Unions and pressure groups. This is not so in China. In China the system is the Minjongs greatest enemy.

This stems from a government policy known as the The Hukou System  (the government household registration system)

     "The Hukou system was established in the 1950s. It registers every person at a specific place (usually their place of birth), and requires all changes in residence to be registered with and
approved by both the government of the place of origin and that of the destination.

This policy became even more restrictive when the Chinese government introduced the food stamp system, and provided low-priced rationing of foods to each individual residing in his or her place of residence.

There were two main consequences resulting from implementing these policies. First, it became almost impossible for an individual to move from one place of residence to another. Second, the division between rural farmers and urban city dwellers became wider, with rural farmers lagging behind in economic and social resources."  (Zhao, YH, 2000)

In China, social welfare benefits are  tied a persons residence status within the Hukou system. Therefore, migrant workers are largely excluded from social security and medical benefits in the urban cities because they are not official residents of those cities.

They also have restrictions placed on their ability to get independent living arrangements, housing and rental subsidies and child health and education, thus, family re-unions are nigh impossible.

The Hukou system and it's inherint weaknesses and discrimiation is well known to the Chinese government but, for whatever reason, they choose to ignore it, always saying that reviews are ongoing. Why? This is hard to explain as the Mingong is vital and indispensable to China's economic growth.

There is no doubt in my mind that the  Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is fearful as to the ramifications of changes to the Hukou System. At the moment they have control to a great degree over population movements.

"Yes feel free to come to Shanghai to work on some project but when it is finished see you later, go back from whence you came. And, while your at it, leave your family at home. It is easier for us that way"

Conclusion

The plight of the Mingong is a real time Human Rights tragedy that is grossly ignored, particularly by so called Human Rights Activists in the west, not to mention obviously the Chinese government. The effects of their treatment cover all areas of human decency and individual and social stability and have unimaginable and unquantifiable repercussions.

Families are rent, children are denied proper parenting. The loneliness of the Mijong must be be palatable, insufferable. What effect on crime, mental and physical health?

These people are the front line soldiers of China's Economic "miracle" but what soldiers that have been to war for their country are so badly treated in-service and upon completion of their "tour of duty"

Let us get over the "One Child Policy", the constant over exposure of censorship issues. This is not an intellectual rights issue of who can say what and when, but real human suffering and misery.

When next you use your iPAD think about it.

Further reading suggested:

• Rural Migrant Workers in Urban China: Living a Marginalised Life  Daniel Fu Keung Wong, Chang Ying Li, He Xue Song. 2006
• Urban Life Cities, Model Cities in China © 2008 Jeffrey Hays
• Effectsof PovertyConcentrations: A Case of Migrant Workers Children in China Tsang, B. Fong, E. Tom, T.