Do you believe that a widespread and cataclysmic event such as the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution could occur again in China today? Why? Why not?
It is entirely possible that an event similar to the Great Proletariat Cultural Revolution could occur again in China Today, but it will be likely centered around a "cult of prosperity" rather than a "cult of personality". Despite its best efforts, China is becoming Westernized at an alarming rate as more and more American companies open factories on Chinese soil. The company for which I work recently built a manufacturing plant in in Kunshan to take advantage of the abundant cheap labor ($1.00/hour in China vs. $16.00/hr in US for a screw machine operator). More jobs are available, and suddenly, more people have the means to own the things they want.
Unfortunately, owning things in China (at least since the 20th century) did not bode well for the owner. As many as five million landowners were killed in the land reform of the 1940's in an attempt to bring prosperity to the impoverished peasants. It is not outside the realm of possibility to imagine modern-day rural dwellers who have not fared as well as their urban countrymen falling under the influence of another Mao. As Mao said himself, "When you go out to develop and engage in a mass movement or to lead a mass struggle, the masses will do as they wish and they will create their own leaders in the course of the struggle...". A new leader could rise up from the ranks of the those opposed to the Westernization of China, or, just as easily, from those who crave more of a Western lifestyle.
As in Mao's day, the revolutionaries will likely come from the youth, specifically students. Whether they will have an impact depends on whether they can gain support within the military, in order to circumvent another Tienanmen Square tragedy. Change, almost revolutionary, has come to China in the last decade. Time will tell whether this will be a bloodless revolution.
About Me
- Susan Rooks
- I am an artist who works as an engineer to pay the bills. I am single and the mother of two grown children
1 comment:
A quote from your post, "The company for which I work recently built a manufacturing plant in in Kunshan to take advantage of the abundant cheap labor ($1.00/hour in China vs. $16.00/hr in US for a screw machine operator)"
Wow! I have a big problem with that. I have to be honest with you Susan, I'm not at all comfortable with corporations setting up shop overseas. On the surface, I agree. It sounds great! Labor is a huge expense for any company. I'm sure we can all agree on that. And I will agree that the primary goal of any corporation is pretty simple - to increase shareholder wealth. Obviously, it's pretty easy to increase shareholder wealth when significant overhead costs decrease. That's a no-brainer. But the short-term bump to the wallet comes with a red, white and blue toe tag; the cadaver John Doe who was your neighbor just yesterday.
We should all be scratching our chins and mentally playing the tape all the way through? We should be storming Washington! Americans are so drunk on material goods that the only unified front we can agree on is Starbucks.
Every job sent to a plant in China costs an American a job here. I know...so what, huh. There's plenty of jobs to go around. But it ignores a basic reality; MONEY MUST MOVE in order to maintain a stable economy. When the $16/hour worker finds himself unemployed, he is a drain because now we're paying unemployment for the guy! We're sure not collecting tax money from him anymore either. And he might default his mortgage or his car payment. And his family has to eat. So we all get to pay for those food stamps as well. That $16/hour job your company just sent to China just cost the American taxpayer MORE than $16/hour! Give your boss my heartfelt thanks for being part of the problem.
In addition, the American earning $16/hour can't buy a vehicle and he can't buy a home. The end result is our $16/hour friend and his lost-job/lost-opportunity market means that this guy isn't going to be MOVING MONEY. Every job that goes overseas costs Americans employment...and money STOPS MOVING. I wonder how many of us will QUIT our jobs when our 40-hour a week paycheck is carved down to the point that we aren't making any more than the guys out here who aren't working at all?
When the stock market is good, they call it a BULL market. America is that mighty bull. Slowly bled and weakend by corporate picadores performing their sickening tercio de varas to a delighted global audience who will cheer wildly until America lies down and huffs its last breath. They will feel vindicated for a brief gasp, caught up in the excitement of the crowd. When we finally look at what we have done, the tragedy will be too late to reconcile.
How long do you think this practice of a QUICK GAINS NOW...BLIND EYE FOREVER corporate blood-sport can go on before we start to see very real, irreversible damage to the American economy? The empire is falling right before our eyes. Get a good seat and quietly watch her die. Otherwise stand up now and make yourself heard.
What jobs do you think will still exist for your grandchildren? Manufacturing is going overseas. Outsourcing is going overseas. Illegal immigrants are putting the construction industry out of business. Tech jobs are being filled by immigrants. In fact, watch your own job. If your company finds it profitable to send manufacturing overseas, your head is already in that same noose.
Even if we ignore the VERY OBVIOUS economic problems that are going to hurt every man, woman and child in our own country, there are also pollution, child labor, slave labor, healthcare and many other ancilliary issues that none of us should ever accept. We should never ever accept and allow companies (like Coca Cola Bottling Company) to pollute the environment of our overseas neighbors. We should never accept and allow unsafe and hazardous work conditions or slave labor or any practice that would be illegal in our own country.
My final word for corporations doing business overseas is simple. First, their actions are doing serious damage. They will ultimately destroy themselves, right along with the American dream, through their short-sighted greed.
Second, all corporations (US-based or foreign) should be required to maintain the same labor laws as exist in the United States if they want to do business with the United States.
Third, all corporations (US-based or foreign) must maintain the same payscale that we maintain in the United States if they want to do business with the United States.
And finally, I don't want to hear the nonsense about how nobody could afford to buy anything if we DID THE RIGHT THING! We have a long history of being self-sufficient, and we got along just fine. The biggest problem with America is Americans.
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