Contemporary China Government, Economy, and Culture

Objectives Students will be able to compare economic change versus political change in post-Mao era (1979-today). Students will be able to describe in detail how economic growth and social change has put a strain on Chinese society.

Economy Mao Era = Command Economy A command economy is a system in which the government owns all the businesses and makes all of the decisions (prices of goods/services, where people work, how much people will be paid) Deng Xiaoping came to power. He shifted China’s economy to a mixed model. A mixed economy includes some state-run businesses and government influence in the economy. However, private businesses are also allowed. This was a radical change from the Mao Era, which demanded absolute government control of the entire economy. This change would have major effects in the coming decades.

Deng Xiao Ping 邓小平 （ ） “Poverty is not socialism. To get rich is glorious.” “It matters not if the cat is black or white. If it catches mice, it’s a good cat.”

Shenzhen 1980s

Shenzhen Today

How did the Chinese economy grow? 1. State-run companies that were poorly run and not profitable (not making money) were closed. Privately-owned businesses replaced them. They were more efficient and better run. The Chinese government still has many state-run companies especially in important industries like banking, telecoms, construction, and oil/mining. 2. Special Economic Zones, the first of which was Shenzhen, allowed foreign businesses into China. Foreign businesses were also allowed to invest in Chinese businesses. 3. China had the largest workforce in the world. After the end of the Cultural Revolution, the workforce was also generally better educated than many poor nations’ workers.

This is Shanghai 这就是上海

Government ●China is still an undemocratic one-party state. ●The government has not changed it’s structure. The Communist Party chooses all of the mayors and governors. All government officials are members of the Communist Party. ●The Communist Party is still in total control of the military. ●While there is discussion about what laws or policies to enact, these discussions are private and ordinary people have no influence.

Limited Human Rights ●No political groups other than the Communist Party can exist. ●All religious groups must be monitored by the Communist Party. ●Newspapers, books, films, and social media posts are censored for language considered to be inappropriate and for talking about politically sensitive topics like Taiwan, and Tibet. ●However, the rise of online media has given Chinese people more access to foreign movies, TV, websites, and books. ●In day-to-day life people can mostly say what they wish without fear of being punished or purged like in the Mao Era.

Political Repression In 1989, more than 100,000 pro-democracy demonstrators gathered in Tiananmen Square in the middle of Beijing. Many of these protestors were university students or even high schoolers. The government forced the people out of the square using soldiers and tanks. Hundreds died and thousands were injured or thrown in prison.

Tiananmen Square 1989

Ethnic Minorities ●China is home to more than 80 ethnic minorities. ●Some of these groups have expressed an interest in being independent from China or to at least have more freedoms. ●Xinjiang, the far west of China, is populated mostly by Uighers, who are a tribe of Muslims who were traditionally nomadic. ●Tibet is in southwest China and is a Buddhist religious center and the birthplace of the Dalai Lama. ●Their protests and activism has led to violent riots, imprisonment of political activists, curfews, and tighter internet controls. ●There have also been incidents when these minorities have led terrorist attacks against the government.

Society Under Pressure Very strong economic growth with continued limits on political freedoms have put strains on Chinese society. The two biggest examples of this are urbanization and pollution.

Urbanization China has gone from having around 20% of the total population living in cities in the 1960s to more than 50% today. This, along with a growing population, has meant hundreds of millions of Chinese have moved from the countryside into cities over the last several decades.

Downside to Urbanization ●Rural towns and villages are dying. All of the young people move to cities to work. Only the elderly and young children remain. ●The separation between parents and children has weakened the family ties. Traditionally, Chinese families lived with three generations under the same roof. ●Urban residents tend to embrace modern ideas and foreign culture, while ignoring traditional Chinese culture. ●Rural people who migrate to the city do not have access to the public health system (like Seguro Social) or the education system.

Pollution ●A downside to the economic growth of China has been rising levels of pollution. ●Many more people can afford cars. ●More factories are building more products. ●More electricity is being used, and electricity in China is created by burning coal. ●Most Chinese cities regularly have unhealthy levels of air pollution for most of the year. ●Growing cities have also led to deforestation (cutting down forests) and less farmland. ●Factories have polluted the air and water to a frightening degree.