'Social issues in the People's Republic of China' in the
21st century are varied and wide-ranging, and are a combined result of the
Chinese economic reforms set in place in the late 1970s, China's religious and cultural backdrop, and an immense population. Because of the vast number of social problems that exist in China today (not at all exclusive to following list), China's government has faced considerable difficulty in trying to remedy the issues. Many of these issues are exposed by the Chinese media, while subjects that may contain politically sensitive issues may be censored. Some academics hold that China's fragile social balance, combined with a bubble economy makes China an extremely unstable country, while others argue China's societal trends has created a balance to sustain itself.
Socio-economic imbalances
★ Rural-urban disparity and the wealth gap
★ Coastal/Hinterland imbalance
★
Digital Divide in the People's Republic of China
Population
★
Overpopulation
★ Male-female ratio disparity from sex-selective abortion and other problems associated from
One-child policy
★ Uncontrollable flow of mass migration
Social Safety Net
★ Lack of pension system;
Social insurance virtually non-existent
★
Unemployment
★ Lack of benefits for the retired
Government & Law
★ Lack of democratic practice and power invested in citizenry
★ Government's abuse of power
★ Sheer unbreakable system of patronage
★ Useless positions in civil service and redundant government agencies
★ Corruption (nepotism, cronyism, wasting public funds, bribery etc.)
★ ''
Face'' projects (面子工程), including building useless roads, buildings, and huge government squares
★ government-commerce relationships (官商勾结)
★ Lack of the
rule of law
★ Corruption of the legal system
★ Fusion and unclear definition on the powers of the government and judiciary
Crime
★ Corporate irregularity
★ Re-emergence of
organized crime
★ Gambling and prostitution
★ Growth of pornographic industry
★ Personal safety risks (especially in public places such as train stations)
★ Massive counterfeiting
★ Corporate scandals (includes corruption in
professional sports)
★ Increased instances of
fraud and
scams (including people claiming supernatural powers, cure illnesses, change names for better luck, etc.)
Social Unrest
★ Media Censorship
★ Challenges to authority
★ Protests against local government/businesses and ensuing persecution
Health Care
★ Corruption (lack of healthcare cover, hospital overcrowding and low wage prompts doctors to seek additional monetary incentive from patients)
★ Underdeveloped
★ Lack of modern equipment in majority of rural areas
★ Privatization and double standards
★ Uncontrollable spread of
AIDS and
STDs
★ Sanitation
Elitism and discrimination
★ Regional elitism (particularly in Beijing and Shanghai)
★ Discrimination against women (although since the Mao-era the status of women gained significant ground)
★ Emergence of new class system
Environment
★ Sacrificing environmental needs for economic gain (includes
Three Gorges Dam project)
★ Urban industrial pollution
★ Uncontrollable and unsustainable rise in urban vehicle use
==
Education==
★ Competitiveness in schools (includes bribery to get into best schools)
★ Overt emphasis on exams (especially ''
Gaokao'', the university entrance exams)
★ Pressure on youth
★ Lack of creativity
★ Lack of physical education
★ Rural-urban inequality
★ privatization
★ Lack of job opportunities after graduation
Morality
★ Norm that social competitiveness should be considered above all else
★ Loss of traditional
Confucianism morals and beliefs
★ Inflexible ideologies taught in public
★ Money worship
Loss of Culture
★ New generation of Chinese embracing anything Western (pop music, western clothing, going to
Starbucks, etc.), thus losing Chinese culture
★
Buddhism becoming commercialized
★ Suppression of religion
References
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