The Issue of Unemployment in China - Essay Example

Unemployment in China Unemployment has been one of the major global issues that every country isfacing these days. Even the countries belonging to the first world experience this problem which still remains unsolved despite the emergence of many different job opportunities brought about by new businesses. The People’s Republic of China is not exempted although rapid industrial growth is seen in the country in the past few years. This paper will investigate why the rate of unemployment has dwindled in connection to problems in housing, education, and social services. To be more specific, this paper will also drill into the deep contrast between college graduates and peasant laborers in terms of the issue. The roles of crime and corruption and social stability and mobility will also be discussed to understand the spread of the issue in China fully. Unemployment and Population The current population of The People’s Republic of China has climbed to 0.01% since last year’s update. To date, the country’s population is approximately 1.354 billion, which is 363.3 people per square mile, basing on its total land area—still the largest in the world (World Population Statistics n.p.). The huge population of China is said to be one of the primary reasons why the problem with unemployment still continues. There are so many advancements in China like the establishment of the world’s largest building called the New Century Global Center, which has an area of 1.7 million square meters alone could provide more job opportunities for fresh graduates and other job seekers (Beam n.p.). However, because of their population density, it is still very difficult to accommodate all of those who are jobless. Aside from large buildings for businesses, there are also amusement and entertainment parks that aid in the country’s tourism industry. However, the population is really too huge that even if they are to build many different types of businesses in every location, the issue of unemployment will still remain. In Neoliberal China, securing a job makes it difficult even for white collared laborers or the college graduates and degree holders. This is so because they need to find their own jobs after graduation and the government will not displace them or assign them to which companies or industries they are fitted to. It is twice as difficult for the peasant laborers coming from poor families in rural areas with less or no education at all because they are most likely discriminated or abused at work compared to educated Chinese (Ren 105). In addition, because of the increase in population, landing a job will even be harder for both the white collared and the peasants in the neoliberal globalization era of PRC. Increase in population will also mean increase in social issues because it will be difficult for the government to balance everything by tending to the issues one by one. Problems in housing, education, and social services are also rooted from overpopulation in China. These problems remain unsolved, and they badly need to be paid attention to by the government. Housing, Education, and Social Services The problem of providing houses to so many people also springs from overpopulation. It will be stressful to provide land areas for families to build houses on that is why most of the families live in apartments or other high rise buildings in order to save space. However, not all can afford this type of housing. They may be a really rich country, but there is still poverty in some areas there. In terms of education, many are able to go to school, but there are also unlucky ones who do not have the chance. Thus, the competition becomes biased to those who are more educated when it comes to choosing the people for a job position. In the socialist China, they developed a household registration system that has also a connection with education and benefits. This has created a great divide between the rural and urban China creating different levels of social classes. The higher and middle classes can afford this registration system while the lower classes find it difficult to do so (Ren 108). Hence, there is inequality in opportunities when it comes to housing, education, and social services in the PRC. Contrast between college graduates and peasants College graduates have a hard time finding jobs. In an analysis of this situation, it will even be more stressful for the peasants who have not completed education to find a job with a higher and more satisfying salary. A degree nowadays is very important in order to land a decent job with high salary. College graduates in Neo-liberalized China or the so-called white collared professionals are more advantaged when it comes to finding jobs, but these days, some of them do not actually have job descriptions that entirely fit their degrees. Some of them are even unemployed or sometimes it takes a long time before they can find a job they truly desire. These days, skilled workers are also in demand because of the widening of China’s industrialization. Therefore, the gap between college graduates and peasant laborers have now become close. Still, there are so many unemployed individuals from either of these groups. As a matter of fact, unemployment in China has now reached a range of 3-11% or more (Trading Economics n.p.). Peasants are labor forces coming from the rural areas that have transferred to the urban areas to achieve a better opportunity and higher pay (Carter n.p.). However, even if peasants are in demand in factories, construction, and other industries, they experience unfairness in the workplace. Some of them were not paid well with a lot of unnecessary deductions, workplace abuses, and lack of work-related accidents compensation. The sweat and blood that they have sacrificed for them to have a better life in the urban area are not well compensated or paid, which is really unfair because these are the kind of laborers that have improved China’s economy. Crime, corruption, social stability and mobility Despite government efforts to put the economy to a higher level, there are still threats that try to pull it down. Some socio-political issues are responsible for this like crime and corruption. Although not the highest in the world, China has 26.87 crime rate (Trading Economics n.p.). The death penalty is responsible in keeping their crime rate low despite the population explosion. This, however, has been criticized by many countries and the PRC is now considering a process to narrow down the capital punishment. Corruption is also present in the Chinese politics. Even if they have a very booming economy, there are still some localities, especially in the rural areas where development is slow because of abuses from those seated in the power. As a result, there is a difference between the rural and the urban. The social classes have been differentiated all the more because the high social classes are becoming richer and there are fewer opportunities for the lower classes to improve their way of living since they are being abused and their labor services are not paid well. Also, because of this divide, many are not given good opportunities at work and others remain unemployed and deprived of benefits for housing and social services. In this regard, social mobility is also really slow especially for young workers and aspiring professionals who have migrated from the rural area to the city. They have no appropriate connections for them to start their quest, which makes it more difficult for them to wander in the city to search for jobs. Also, they are being prejudiced based on where they came from. Crime, corruption, and social issues in the PRC are all interconnected, and the end results ultimately affect the people—not the government nor the enterprises and big businesses. These issues have created social gaps that will lead to more complicated problems like self-pity and the feeling of being useless which are the root causes of suicide. There are so many issues rooting from the issues presented above. Social, political, and population issues must be taken seriously by making some amendments in their laws instead of going too hardcore on the country’s economy. Conclusion The People’s Republic of China needs to focus on the problem of unemployment by looking at the roots of the problem meticulously. The roles of peasants and college graduates in the improvement of industries and the country’s economy must be given utmost importance. There has to be an equal chance given to every laborer because they can equally contribute to the rise of the country’s economy. The great divide in the social classes is causing a great difficulty in social mobility. Those who migrated from the rural areas find it even harder to fit in and land a decent job. Some of them, especially the uneducated, are being abused of their services. The government should be able to balance everything. They must not focus on the development of their industries only they must be more concerned with their people. Considering the popular culture of China being one of the most developed countries, every citizen is challenged to the point that they will really push themselves. Works Cited Beam, Christopher. “One Man, 1.7 Million Square Meters.” New Republic. N.p. 2013. Web. 1 December 2013. http://www.newrepublic.com/article/115463/worlds-largest-building-area-chinas new-century-global-center Carter, Tom. “Of Peasants with Pitchforks: Inside China’s Villages.” The Huffington Post. 27 May 2013. Web. 1 December 2013. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/tag/china-peasants World Population Statistics. China Population. n.p. 18 September 2013. Web. 1 December 2013. http://www.worldpopulationstatistics.com/china-population-2013/ Ren, Hai. “The Neoliberal State and Risk Society: The Chinese State and the Middle Class.” TELOS 151.1 (2010): 105-128. Trading Economics. China Unemployment Rate. N.p. 2013. Web. 1 December 2013. http://www.tradingeconomics.com/china/unemployment-rate Read More