Please enable JavaScript.
Coggle requires JavaScript to display documents.
How far have China's leaders created a 'Harmonious Society'? -…
How far have China's leaders created a 'Harmonious Society'?
Unemployment and industrial unrest
Context
Privatization of SOEs
Over 40 million people are loosing their jobs
Pro democracy demonstrations
Massive increase in worker's strikes
Affected especially northeastern China, that was mainly reliant on state-run enterprices.
China's "Floating population" problem
Young people moving from the rural areas seeking for a temporary employment on constructions and factories
As they are part-time workers there wasn't any guaranties for the employment and people were loosing their jobs easily
Dissatisfaction of the workers
No legistlation
Underdevelopment of rural area still a problem
Informal economies
Impacts
Several SOEs cancell privatization deals
Tens of thousands of major protests happening all over China.
A big group of workers can only get part-time contracts.
Government responses
Believe that continued economic growth will absorb the unemployed
Some improvements and gaining support for the economic reforms
Use of nationalism and pride in economic achievements
The government acknowledged the biggest protest happening in Northern China, which indicated the severity of the problem.
The government tried to control the protests, but in some cases the protesters were able to push back the police and government officials. This creates a real threat for government control.
Mariia and Saimi
Corruption
Nature of the problem
still evident in 21st century
those high in power in the party "turned a blind eye", took bribes, or stole money from state enterprises in urban areas
political unrest --> Chinese people suffer
in rural areas, higher taxes were required of farmers (money taken by the officials themselves)
bribes in education among the educated elite
re-emergence of sex work and new international sex trades and drug trafficking
Increased affluence and wider market availablity, increased temptation regarding corruption
guandao
=official profiteering with market and in-plan prices
Notable cases
Journalist's critisism of the Three Gorges Dam project led to her imprisonment
high-ranking officials ensured that their children would enroll in the best schools and universities
resulted in an academic elite
prostitution industry and human trafficking rising due to wealth gap and corruption
Government responses
Jiang launched a major campaign against corruption in 1993. Authorities confessed their crimes, which led to reports, trials, and even executions
corrupt officials still remained
in 2004, National People's Congress drew attention to the rural taxation. By 2005 the land tax was removed
corrupt officials still remained
Open elections developed in local areas. All adults were able to vote and stand for election to their village committees
Growing unrest among citizens led Hu Jintao to deploy the PLA
death penalty for worst cases of corruption
Jasmine, Morgan, and Taika
China’s "floating population"
Definition
A large part of the population living in rural areas, particularly younger men, travaled to urban areas to seek temporary employment in e.g. construction or factories
This was a way for families to earn additional income in the rural areas, which were poorer than the developed urban centers
Challenges
They were seen as being prone to petty crime and unrest
The workers never stayed in one place for too long, instead they were forced to move from project to project as they were finished
They didn't have permanent housing and would live in makeshift shelters on the construction sites
Poor living conditions
Exclusion from communities and e.g. health services or insurance
The floating workers were a threat to older workers who could be easily replaced by them --> loss of family income (for the older workers)
Particularly female workers were affected by this
As the young men left, there are less workers available to work in agriculture --> inequalities between urban and rural areas grow
Government responses
(State) firms sacked older workers so they could be replaced with younger and cheaper ones, encouraging earlier retirement
Loss of income often caused financial strugglles for families & increased the gap between the rich and poor
This was done to ensure efficiency in the production
The "floating population" only grew larger as the government began enforcing policies that would ensure that the state-run enterprises made profits
Helmi, Emilia and Maria
Environmental protection
Major isssues
emissions/pollution
decline in public health
political protests
de-forestration
flooding
one third of the population had no access to clean drinking water and two-thirds lacked sufficient fresh water supplies
Notable examples
the construction of the Three Gorges Dam on the Yangtze River
significant ecological changes
1.3 million people had to move away
Government responses
set up the State Enviroment Protection Administration to improve air and water quality --> the plan failed
the construction of the Three Gorges Dam on the Yangtze River
modernization projects to increase livingstandards --> serious implications for the enviroment
Riku, Lukas and Sofia
Conclusions
Evaluation of the success
Progress made in addressing unemployment and the floating population.
Environmental and corruption issues showed slower improvement.
Overall impact
Persistent challenges highlight gaps in achieving a truly harmonious society.
Policies often prioritized economic growth over social stability.
Discussion:
"To what extent can a 'harmonious society' exist alongside rapid economic transformation?:"