China Daily recently published this overview of poverty in China: Reference: http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2014-10/16/content_18755643.htm
under the general heading of, BEHIND THE GLAMOUR.
Poverty in China in 2014.
by fulltimestudent 15 Replies latest social current
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fulltimestudent
What would it be like to be in the poorest segment?
6.3 Yuan is maybe A$1.20, even with the poverty stricken life I led as a special pioneer, I don't think I've scratched that hard. Though there were days when I literally had no money left to buy food. (OF course, in the big-hearted view of the WTS, when you had no money you were supposed to go out an place some magazines ( a policy that started with colporteurs at the end of the nineteenth century), that's why they gave them to pioneers at such a big discount (No freeloaders in Yahweh's organisation, thank U!!).
Anyway here's how a student (who may also have some experience in living cheap) in China said he'd live on that:
At a 'dumpling party*,' I went to on Saturday night, I asked a middle-aged guy who'd grown up as an orphan in British controlled Singapore, if that was below his memory of a poverty line.
He reckoned that the student was eating better than he ate then (early 60s) under British rule. Trying to relate to it, he said he may have a steamed bread roll for breakfast (nothing else), no lunch and some boiled rice and some vegetables at night. Once in a while, they had a little meat or fish.
* A Chinese get together, where everyone works togetheer to make dumplings and then eats them
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fulltimestudent
On an internet site, Liu Yang, an internet user says:
I bought two steamed buns,two small apples, a bag ofinstant noodles and somepickle in a nearby supermarket.I feel shocked and sad that somany people are living this nightmare everyday.
And 'Little O"commented:
From migrant workers to white-collar employees, baked sesame seed cake is a popularstaple diet for many in Beijing.But with a budget of just 6.3yuan, it is impossible to live onit as its price went up from 0.60yuan in 2009 to 1 yuan in2014.
Of course, these people (who commented) live in big cities, prices in small villages are likely lower.
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fulltimestudent
I cant compare to any groups in Australia, as government welfare is widespread. What about the USA? Are there still roughly 50,000,000 people who recieve some form of government assistance?
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PhilJonesIII
Considering they have 1.3 billion people to feed, the progress they have made is nothing short of remarkable. Still a long long ways from ideal but Id hesitate to accuse them of not trying.
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Violia
There are many poor people in usa that lack food. During the 80's my hubby was unemployed for 1.5 yrs and the we did go without food and the kids occ would eat at the neighbors and my hubby and I just did not eat. One of my sons said he did remember being hungry. You have no idea how that makes a mother feel. I would starve and let my kids eat first. It was a horrible time and i shudder every time I recall it. I had to go to places to beg for help and they would look at you like refuse. NO help from the loving brothers. I will never forget or forgive any of them.
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talesin
China wasn't too concerned about their poor when preparing for the Beijing Olympics. Millions of people were thrown out of their homes. Like Western governments, they don't give a **** about the poor. I guess this anti-poverty initiative is good public relations, of course.
tal
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Nathan Natas
If the Chinese are concerned, they might ask how their reputation as food adulterers and POISONERS is affecting the willingness of other countries to trade with China. Until then they can eat their melamine-laced cake.
Compare and contrast the PRC (Red China) with Taiwan, which long ago made a decision to become a responsible member of the world community, which is why Red China wants to DESTROY them.
If they like, they can make a bid for Chairman Obama's gentle ministrations after his term expires here. Maybe "The Messiah" will save the PRC; he >>is<< a gen-u-wine friggin' genius, y'know. Just ask him!
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Mum
I don't suppose the Chinese government has food stamps or other government subsidies to help their poor. Are there private charities working on alleviating the problem? Many Westerners live in China. Are they doing anything to help?
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fulltimestudent
talesin: China wasn't too concerned about their poor when preparing for the Beijing Olympics. Millions of people were thrown out of their homes. Like Western governments, they don't give a **** about the poor. I guess this anti-poverty initiative is good public relations, of course.
I assume you raise the points because you are wondering, how what you hear/read etc reconciles with what I've posted. So I'm going to attempt to show you Beijing.
This is Bejing circa 1900. The photographs were taken by western soldiers (British, American,- the American contingent left from Seattle, there are still, or were, photos on the internet- French, German, Italian and Japanese who had invaded China, because of anti-western civil disturbances in which western property had been destroyed. In reprisals, they destroyed some beautiful old buildings and stole many beautiful works of art.
The roads in Beijing fo the time were dirt, sewerage ran in open canals. Maybe it was similar to 19th C western cities, but that's the starting point
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2UZBYNGMNvE
This next video is a series of LIFE piks from 1947
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WGhfakG0_CU
I need to explain, that like some other places in the world, thedre is no private ownership of land. People lease the land and the buildings, unless the buildings have come to the end of their useful life. You've probably heard of the term 'slum clearance' also. Much of the housing in China pre- 1949 was sub-standard. I've walked around tenement housing near the Temple of Heaven (2003), I wanted to take piks, but was too embarrassed because it was so poverty stricken. No reticulated water, no sewerage, etc. I didn't go near Beijing around the O/Games. I happen to think the Olympics are bullsh*t, but I'm likely a minority. If people had a residential right, they were provided with modern housing, if they did not they were encouraged to go back to their villages.
Some parts of old housing could be restored and turned over to small business, you can find such streets in most modernised Chinese cities. Here's one in Beijing, taken by some tourist.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qd08JxYgTRU
And another tourist video of modern Beijing in general:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RH3PvfI7ELQ
I guess this anti-poverty initiative is good public relations, of course.
Which I guess, is a roundabout way of asking whether the figures are accurate or not? If we imagine that in 1949 China was destitute, then to bring prosperity to a nation would be a big ask.
As I see it (my perspective) is that the success of the communists + the other Chinese parties that joined them, in the civil war (1945-49) was based on widespread popular support. (Ask me to prove that on another thread and I'll tell you why I say that, but wait until January, please - got another exam at the end of Nov, and then want to catch up with rellies that I havn't see for a while).
They then had to deliver - to modernise China, and bring prosperity. At first, private enterprise was encouraged, and maybe things were not moving fast enough and the doctrinaire central planners in the CPC wanted to try their way. They won the chance and failed. The party reacted by removing Mao from the top job. He reacted by using his prestige to bring another revolution, (the so-called Cultural Revolution) and letting immature young people (Red Guards) attempt to enforce a return to Central Planning, etc. This was a terrible time in China, everything stopped (including education). Everyone seemed to hold their breathe, wondering what could happen next. But when Mao died the CPC reacted swiftly to try to stabilise the sutuation, and re-asserted its authority. The rest you likely know. That's very simplistic, but I could go into a booklength explanantion (supposed to be funny)
Under Mao's idea, there was what was called the iron ricebowl. You would be told what education you should have and what job you could have. Your workplace would give you a place to live at low rent, and look after your health needs etc. For some, at least, it did work and some have good memories of the time. Other's do not. Personally, I do not think that sort of economic system can work for all.
When Deng started the program of change to the present system, (announcing, that to get rich was glorious) he made a point of saying that not everyone could get rich (likely he meant prosperous) at the same time. So in the roughly 30 years since then maybe 50% have a moderately prosperous life. Clearly there are some that will never be able to cope for one reason or another.
