In addition to infrastructure development and progress, the
concept of urbanization necessitates a consideration of how cities
should effectively incorporate migrant workers from the rural areas
into the fold, an issue that continues to vex authorities.
Wang Chunguang, a research fellow with the Institute of
Sociology of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS), told
China News Weekly of an exchange he had with a Shenzhen
city official in the course of his research on China's migrant
population.
Shenzhen amended its migrant policy not long ago, opening its
household registration system to investors and people with advanced
diplomas. In addition, the amended policy lowered requirements for
those applying for permission to be reunited with their families
and who are awarded honorary titles from the city for their hard
work or bravery in the case of accidents and emergencies.
Wang then asked the official who drafted the amended policy:
"Shenzhen now has 12 million residents, but only 1.6 million are
registered as permanent residents. Who exactly does the policy
benefit?"
The official replied that the policy would benefit about 300,000
people.
Wang asked: "How many years will it take for the others to
obtain permanent Shenzhen residence? These people have worked and
lived in Shenzhen for many years, they pay taxes here and they have
become part of this city. There is no reason to exclude them from
such a preferential permanent residence system."
The official responded that the preferential policy was made in
light of migrant policies of the?US and Canada, a point which
Wang refuted on the basis that those migrant policies refer to the
entry of foreigners. Wang pointed out that those policies don't
apply in this case because migrant workers from the rural areas are
Chinese nationals.?
Sharing Wang's view is James Wen, the associate professor of
economics at Hartford's Trinity College in the US.
Wen told China News Weekly: "It is hard to say whether
Shanghai and Hong Kong could have achieved their current economic
prosperity if in the developing years they had in place a policy
that only welcomes extremely well-educated or wealthy workers."
Other scholars that China News Weekly interviewed are
of the opinion that the household registration system has become a
major impediment to China's urbanization process.
Wen thinks the Chinese government should abolish all those
regulations in its policies, regulations and management mechanisms
that impede the free movement of people and restrict their rights
to employment. He said that such restrictive regulations breach the
principle of a free market economy.
According to the November 21 issue of Oriental Outlook,
sources from the Ministry of Public Security and experts reportedly
said that a new reform plan for the household registration system
has been in place for more than two years. The present version of
the reform plan is based on the experience of local pilot reform
programs and has been promoted nationwide. However, implementation
has not been consistent due to resistance from related government
departments and local governments.
Spokesman for the Ministry of Public Security, Wu Heping, said
that the Ministry of Public Security is presently coordinating the
promotion of the registration reform plan, but specific items and
related measures cannot be disclosed yet.
Government officials often cite the enormous pressure put on
cities by migrant populations as a means to justify their
unwillingness to encourage reform. They say the pressure of
increasing benefits and allowances to registered residents, higher
traffic congestion, deteriorating social order and free compulsory
education is too much for a city to manage.
Wen believes that if city authorities practiced principles of
urban economics, the issues can be dealt with. He cited the example
of the "agglomerative effect" where the intense concentration of
people can dramatically reduce the costs of economic activity. As
long as the introduction of a resident or a manufacturer brings
more profit than cost to a host city, the city can still meet its
targets of economic development. The government can tax newcomers
to compensate existing residents and manufacturers for any losses
they might incur as a result of including the newcomers to the
community.
According to Wen, urbanization is the source of progress, a
symbol of civilization, and a sign of modernization.
However, Wen acknowledges that there is the "megalopolis
problem" to consider, where if a city grows too fast too quickly,
slums develop to accommodate the extra scale.
Wen said: "It is inevitable that slums will develop and crime
rates increase during the urbanization process. Compared with the
advantages of urbanization, the disadvantages in the form of slums
and crimes for a certain period of time come second. If you know
how to administrate effectively, these problems can be controlled.
If you curb the development of slums altogether, you kill the
ability for migrants to move in.
"The government should not only fulfill its obligations, but
also encourage various civilian organizations to help settle the
migrants; provide them with job information, and provide education
opportunities. If China's farmers are made formal city residents in
a timely manner, China could achieve successful urbanization
soon."
Qin Hui, a professor with Tsinghua
University, views people from the countryside wishing to obtain
residence in cities differently.? In his book Rural China:
Reflections of History and Realistic Choices, he made special
note of the new generation migrants. He said as "marginal people,"
they are potentially unstable for society but only if the
authorities deal badly with them.
Qin Hui doesn't agree that all "marginal people" are potentially
unstable. He explained: "The migrant communities in New York,
including those living in the slums are typically held responsible
for higher crime rates in the city. But some American sociologists
have suggested that slums represent a political buffer, gathering
voters who approve of maintaining the status quo."
Based on extensive studies conducted in many parts of Latin
America, this can also be called the "Latin American
Phenomenon."
Qin Hui added that studies in New York have also shown that a
high proportion of crimes are committed by the older generation of
migrants, therefore giving weight to the argument that new migrants
want to be accepted by the system.
He concluded that it is therefore necessary to give migrants
equal access to law, human rights protection, education, employment
and other opportunities if the mainstream society is to work with
them in an effective and efficient manner.
(China News Week, translated by Wind Gu and Zhang Rui
for China.org.cn December 28, 2005)