No More Iron Rice Bowl
Before reform and opening-up everyone got a job by arrangement.
Once in that job, one became a member of the institution. No more
need to worry about income, medical care, housing, kindergarten for
the children or even life in retirement.
By
the 1990s however people found they had more and more freedom in
finding a job. A Beijing Morning Post report on December 15,
2000 showed that 100,000 university students without Beijing
hukou (residence registration requirement) were employed by
high-tech enterprises in the capital's northwest suburb of
Zhongguancun, dubbed China's "Silicon Valley."
There are four main areas of change for today's young people facing
a career choice.
First, they pay more attention to looking for opportunities to
develop their potential and so realize their true worth. In other
words, people want a job not just to make a living but also as a
stepping stone to future development.
Second, as the iron rice bowl fades from sight, people are becoming
more aware of risk. The job security, which was given such a high
priority in the past, is witnessing a declining importance in
modern society.
Third, in choosing where to work, people are now much less
attracted to the various government institutions. The market
economy system coupled with a raised self-awareness leads modern
youth to favor occupations with more freedom and autonomy.
Fourth, in these modern times people are free to change their jobs
so promoting new levels of job mobility.
These trends reflect the diversity of occupations resulting from
the division of labor in the social structure and are the
inevitable outcome of the new values.
The Value of Money
In
ancient times when "the superior man was concerned with what was
right and the mean man with gain," even talking about money was
seen as possibly rather shabby or at least an indication of a
weakness in character. Now we are in the market economy, as people
become more and more practical, they no longer hold back from
talking about money. This is indicative of a changing set of values
and attitudes to society.
A
survey showed that some 18 percent thought money was "very
important", 56 percent thought it was "relatively important", 24
percent thought it was "not that important" and 2 percent thought
it "very unimportant." So most thought money was important.
On
the issue "Money will do anything", some 25 percent said they
"don't agree very much" and 24 percent "don't agree at all".
Another 28 percent were neutral on the issue while 8 percent
"totally agreed" and 15 percent "comparatively agreed."
This shows that most people, while recognizing the important role
of money don't overestimate its importance. Though different groups
hold different attitudes towards money, the overall attitude of
society as a whole remains healthy.
Love and Marriage
In
love and marriage what really matters? Is it money, car, house or
deep feelings? Along with social development have come attitudes
that are more open, tolerant and rational.
About 10,000 senior high school students were surveyed in 2000.
Some 16 percent said they would either "agree" or "comparatively
agree" with sexual activity before marriage. Support was stronger
among urban than rural students. It was also stronger among boys
than girls. Overall 23 percent reported having love affairs in high
school and the rate here was also higher among boys than girls.
In
another survey of Beijing youth also in 2000, only 30 percent
opposed the idea that "both parties to a loving relationship could
have sex relations even if they didn't go on to marry." Younger
people were more tolerant of such relationships with the under 20s
reporting support which was 16 percent higher than that of their
elders of 30 plus.
And what's more, younger people were shown to be more supportive of
the idea of privacy even between husband and wife. Over 80 percent
responded with "agree" or "comparatively agree" compared with only
8 percent who were actually opposed.
Property notarization before marriage is also favored by youth.
Over 70 percent thought it beneficial to both sides and 90 percent
of youngsters would accept divorce when love became lost.
Women's thoughts on childbearing are also changing. A survey was
conducted in 2000 in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Chengdu.
Nearly 20 percent did not want a child even if they were to marry.
On this issue younger women were less inclined towards parenting as
were those of higher educational attainment. Besides, the
traditional views of "raising children as a hedge against old age"
and "more sons, more blessings" are being abandoned.
A
2001 survey showed that Chinese farmers are now likely to have
fewer children. Only some 12 percent of the farmers agreed that
"More children bring more prosperity" while 85 percent were against
with 4 percent neither for nor against.
All in all a new more rational approach to parenthood can be seen
emerging.
Declining or Strengthening Morals?
There is an ongoing debate on morality in the academic world. Some
see morality in decline while others think it is moving forward.
But how can we tell?
An
investigation was conducted in rural areas in 2001. It showed some
25 percent of farmers agreeing with the view that "morality is no
longer of any use" but 63 percent disagreed and 12 percent just
wouldn't say. This supports the view that most people would still
seem to attach a real importance to morality in life.
Asked another question "Would you have the courage to break the
law?" 28 percent said yes, 58 percent said no and the others sat on
the fence. So it seems most people still appear to value the
special social significance and regulating role of the rule of
law
The Basic Education Department of the Ministry of Education
together with Beijing Normal University conducted a survey among
10,000 senior high school students in 2000. They put the question
"whom do you most admire (idealize)?" It was an open question with
no given choices and some 24 percent answered "Zhou Enlai." No more
than 20 percent selected singing or movie stars as their idols.
This shows that the youngsters of today place a value on moral
qualities in selecting their idols.
Some traditional moral values are still held by present day
youngsters. A survey in 1999 showed that 43 percent thought they
had "done very well" and a further 41 percent had "done well" in
their treatment of their parents. Another 14 percent thought their
treatment was "average." Hardly any admitted to treating their
parents "badly" or "very badly."
Also, frugality is still cherished by most young people today. A
survey in 1997 showed that 19 percent "agreed completely" and 63
percent "agreed" with the statement that "one must live an
economical life even if wealthy". It seems these young people had
successfully carried forward this traditional virtue into their
modern world.
Neither a pessimistic "moral decline" nor an optimistic "moral
progress" view represents a wholly satisfactory statement of the
present status of morality. To hold a polarized view and especially
to do so to extreme would run the risk of militating against any
worthwhile efforts to advance moral standards. A reasoning approach
founded on engaging the new morality as it actually is today would
seem the best way forward.
The third part of this review will be published here
tomorrow.
(China.org.cn by Li Jinhui, September 29, 2002)