Posted: Sat Jan 29, 2011 9:16 pm Post subject: (Anyone probably may discuss anything but...)
Is "China's cheap, motivated workforce" the only way for the nation to become the global leader, even with inhumane pressures on workers in the factories?
After reading "When a Billion Chinese Jump," and "Factory Girls," I've learned about the kind of work Blue collar workers do in the factories and how much pressure is on workers with physical labors in China. Still, this motivated workforce have improved Chinese economics, industry, and helped become one of the strongest countries and a country to be looked forward as a world leader. In the reading, Allen Lee have applied Darwinism with the situation with Yue Yuen factory saying that "If we didn't have pressure, we wouldn't improve...only the stongest survive." As I read this particular passage over and over again, I was pondering whether if this is a correct application of Darwinism. ("Is this really a correct application of Darwism?" I wrote as my active reading.) However, thinking about it throughout the reading, why can't it be a justable application? The ignorance of human rights, work hours beyond the norm, and pressure, as bad as they might seem, have built up China. To such a country that is used to this system already and have grown up this way, it would be a exteremly difficult change for it to face.
Since the "Great Leap Forward" project, China has proved its proficiency on "Cheap, motivated workforce." This project, in my opinion, was one of the profound ways that Chinese government showed the power of Communism. At first, I was trying not to see the positive outcomes from the project, however, regardless of how I thought, throughout the project, many bridges, railroads and other industrial projects were built in "success." Although its success sacrificed many lives, China did not seem to improve the inhumanity but to use that as one of the methods to manipulate many workers to commit their lives to the works that are given.
From reading the "Factory Girls," I was shocked at the work environment of the factory. Although the Yue Yuen had better atmosphere than those ones which were in the rural areas, workers still did not have enough time to actually find what they really want to do in their lives. Those girls believed that they were not able to find any appropriate works out side the factory. However, if these girls were not working efficiently in the factories, then it would be so much harder for us to get our necessities. And China has greatly benefitted from those factories. Although inhumanity is not the only way for a nation to improve, China has become one of the global leaders in the world with the help of inhumanity.
Joined: 26 Jan 2011 Posts: 3 Location: United States of America
Posted: Sun Jan 30, 2011 3:08 pm Post subject:
I guess my thought is that China prides itself on exporting goods, which is why there are so many factories. China gains money from its economy, but the fact that the conditions of the factories are bad seems a bit predictable since under a government-planned economy most of the money ends up going to the officials as opposed to funding. While things are definitely better now then compared to the revolution by ten fold, China still has a long way to go with human rights and liberties.
While I don't think that the factories like the one described in this reading are replacing the Chinese government, they are shaping its cities and its culture. These giant self-sufficient communities have the same level of respect for its workers that the Communist party does, only with strongly capitalist intentions. These super efficient factories have allowed for rapid industrialization and for China to become the world's largest manufacturer. I would argue that there are still slight undertones of Mao's Great Leap Forward though. These factory communities are simply the modernized version of the twentieth century's communal farming projects. The production is now privatized, but the ideas behind the systems seem very similar, large masses working towards a shared goal. The same group of people were involved in both movements too, the rural Chinese are no longer working in agriculture though, but migrating to work in these factories.
The article reminded me of a similar one I read in WIRED about the Foxconn factory, the company which manufactures all Apple products. This factory has notoriously bad working conditions, far worse than the ones in 'Factory Girls'. Nets line the dorm windows to prevent worker suicides. Very interesting read: http://www.wired.com/rawfile/2010/11/thomas-lee-foxconn/
i think the question is inherently is flawed. first the premis that china is or has bin a global leader is false. first a global leader needs to demonstrate not only strength but also the exemplary ways to handle a common crisis. when all of the western world were batting for controlling the worlds resources through colonization, great Briton sat a great example of managing colonies. going back to the question a cheap motivated workforce is not something propelling them to lead the world, it is preparing them to follow. the recent accomplishment of china only represents their beginning enter the international trading world, by no means are they leading the trading world, they are just a participating member of it.
i disagree with Kyle's point about the condition of factories being bad because of government planned economy in which most of the money goes to the officials. the workers conditions are bad not because of government owned economy. the workers had much higher status when the economy was totally government owned, and they're situation is agreeably worse after the capitalism and competition was introduced in the past 15 years. now these companies have economic incentive to treat there workers as poorly as possible.
Having left my backpack and computer at school for the weekend and having dorm activities for the greater duration of my evening, I'm a bit tired. Apologies for posting so late.
Quote:
China. Still, this motivated workforce have improved Chinese economics, industry, and helped become one of the strongest countries and a country to be looked forward as a world leader.
The work force wasn't responsible for making China a world leader*. The government's continued failed policies has kept China from becoming a viable world leader. As I said in the last forum conversation, they need an overhaul on their human rights system inorder to be looked at as a model nation for the world.
Along with Adam, I disagree with Kyle. It's not the government's responsibilty to improve factories it's peoples work in. More importantly, the nation should be focused on treating it's citizens with more respect and grant them more individual liberties.
After reading factory girls, I think it's important to look at the ages of these women. These girls were teenagers. Speaking as an adolescent, the teenage years are most crucial for creating your dreams, thinking, building, and loving. These girls were kept from growing, but most importantly, being a kid. China kept these girls from this.
**If your talking about China in terms of economics and growth, the nations GDP now ranks second in the world behind the US. **
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