2008 Print runner-up
Matthew is 16 years-old and lives in Wakefield. Matthew wrote about Changing China.
Changing China
The Real Question
China has taken the world by storm. The most populous nation in the world, a political and economic powerhouse. The Great Wall breached by financial battering rams, a Terracotta Army of Skyscrapers march in modernized cities. Nothing, it would seem, can stop China’s growth.
The Olympics stand as the pinnacle of this achievement. A sign that China’s influence is increasing. But if China has gone from Middle Kingdom to Middle Man on the world stage, has this rise benefited the population? Has China really changed at the lowest level leading up to the greatest sporting event?
Dire Times
Various factions attempted to gain control of China during the turbulent twentieth century. For twenty nine years Mao Zedong led a "Cultural Revolution" under the banner of Communism. Nearly, seventy million people lost their own battles against famine caused by this "re-education".
By 1978 nothing remained of China’s economy. Rice became the common currency among the impoverished peasants. Fortunately, the economy was at rock bottom and could only move upwards. A moderate party member, Deng Xiaoping, gave China a push in the right direction. Opening the door for foreign economies to invest in the new revolution and the result is plain to see.
The Economic Revolution
The money speaks volumes, a new government policy of a Communist core and Capitalist shell has created an economic boom. Urban vistas such as Shanghai, raised living standards, increased GDP are all attributed to the influx in wealth. It would appear the attraction and money for the Olympics are present and correct.
Government figures show rural poverty has been reduced from 31% in 1978 to 3% in 2000. GDP of China (a measure of overall economic value) puts them second on the World Bank list. Wealth per person has risen consistently at 8% each year from 1978. All the facts point to the first Communist regime to actually work for the common class since the economic boom... but the statistics don’t tell the full story.
Virtually none of the wealth of is filtering down to the "peasants" who suffered under the pre 1978 policies. The government statistics are heavily influenced by bias and often underestimate poverty.
Furthermore, between 150 and 200 million migrant workers are left with no state help. GDP per head also leaves much to be explained. Most of the figures reflect the fat cat business men sat in the International towers of Shanghai. A sign of how unfairly wealth is divided
Human Rights
The recent Olympics have also brought to light China’s continuing Human Rights record. Olympic values demand, "respect for universal ethical principles." On the surface there has been tough talking from many top officials. Wang Wei Secretary of the Beijing Olympic Bid claimed, "We are confident that the games coming to China not only promotes the economy but also enhances all social conditions including human rights."
His confidence has obviously been misplaced. The total Olympic development project has evicted thousands of peasants seen as worthless collateral. An attitude reminiscent of the "Cultural Revolution." And it doesn’t stop there.
Activists protesting against evictions and other policies in light of the games have been imprisoned. Activists such as Ye Guozhu are being held longer than sentenced for "labour re-education," sound familiar? Re-education was a word used plenty of times in the bad old days.
Perhaps the Olympic rings now represent the shackles of a nation, no matter. Important figures, such as China’s foreign minister, can easily say "These people could never get their way. Those who want to tarnish the image of China... would only have their own images tarnished." An attack on those groups seeking to use the Olympics as a publicity springboard. Spoiling the view for those intent on watching world class sport.
What we see and the reality
Many around the world are caught up in a sporting tunnel vision. In our ignorance all we want to see are gold medals regardless of the back drop.
We must not forget the other side of the shiny coin, the one usually face down in the dust. Yes, we have brought a portion out of poverty with a Western gold rush but in doing so we have given China centre stage. Feeding the egos of the Capitalist-Communist hybrids to be a perfect example of unity, at the cost of the commoner.
So, has China changed? Yes of course it has but in the spirit of topsy turvy world politics, it has taken one step forward, two steps back.
For more on China’s Human rights record visit : www.amesty.org (opens in a new window) & to follow the Beijing Olympics 2008 visit: http://en.beijing2008.cn/(opens in a new window)
Quote from the judging panel
A very well-written piece, with some nice phrases, like ’A Terracotta Army of Skyscrapers’. But Matthew lets himself down with a few literal mistakes. His piece is also opinionated, and therefore more of a print editorial or an online blog than a straight news piece. Promising.