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Who´s afraid of P.R.China?
Are you afraid of the P.R. of China?
China, the great nation of the future, full of economic opportunities. Every day one can read how companies, big and medium sized, invest in the great wonder market of China.
China being communist? I can only laugh about that. There is hardly a more capitalist country on this planet.
And consequently the poor, mostly farmers, rise up and protest (Mass Protests in China), although Chinas´ capitalist era in "modern" days has just begun. You don´t get to hear about them in the mainstream news too often - it wouldn´t really attract new investors, but they do take place regularly.
The existence of farmers across the country is under threat and therefore an increasing number of people try to find a job in large cities along the east coast, so called migrant workers.
So how will China and the Chinese society develop in future? In this entry I want to look at two or three aspects only.
As mentioned above the "class tensions" will increase due to workers uprisings and further extreme social inequality.
To understand the second point better, we can take a look at Singapore. This tropical island developed to become a so called "1st world country" within a very short period of time, around 40 years. Since over 70% of Singaporeans are Chinese, the mentality between mainland Chinese and Singaporeans are in many aspects similar. The following is generally speaking. For both groups one can say that "losing face" is the worst that can happen to an individual, therefore being successful is very important to them. Not to all, but definitely most. If that wouldn´t be the case, then Singapore would probably be not as prosperous as it is today. Of course there are also many other factors responsible for Singapore´s "success".
Now, the thing is, certain ethical and social norms are lost thru the rapid development, which I claim you
can also see in Singapore.
A very high price to pay. Values change.
People in all countries constantly look for happiness and when markets are being flooded with tons of new products, then people try to gain happiness thru endless and almost desperate consumption and consuming habits. Products turn to status symbols, which need to be purchased one way or another in order to gain respect within your family and society. This is all that matters: success.
Success, no matter at what cost. And this desperate need for success makes blind. It blinds to the extend that social, moral and ethical values are being comfortably ignored.
I hope you don´t understand me wrong here. In every more or less capitalist society this pattern can be seen to a certain extend.
But in societies that develop economically at a very fast pace in a very short time, just like in China currently, ethical and moral standards fall behind, because everything that counts is economic growth. Things like pollution, environmental destruction, animal suffering or ethical consumerism are not considered important neither by the government nor by the consumers.
This ignorance, which to a certain extend is present around the globe (east and west), is causing a lot of problems.
And if China with it´s 1,298,847,624 strong population (July 2004 est.) adds to this pool of ignorance, it will have fatal consequences for our planet in many aspects. Each day more Chinese will be able to waste clean water and electricity, eat at fast food chains (e.g. McDonalds), produce tons of waste (e.g. packaging) and drive a big car not caring what industry they actually support and what ecological and social consequences their choices have; like many Americans and other westerners (Energy usage per person), just that they don´t have a population of 1,298,847,624. We all need to be aware of our responsibilities, no matter where we are from.
Are you afraid of P.R. of China? I am.
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Nontheless I wish all of you who celebrate the CNY a "Gong Xi Fa Cai!".
It´s my year after all. 
~peace~