China, Courts

East China U. of Political Science & Law

That day in March, when I went into USF to hear a lecture on Chinese government, little did I know how many doors would open as a result of that encounter. Prof. Ma taught me a lot about China in general but also about his specialization, law, in particular.

The lecture in San Francisco alone was a great start. He began by connecting the governmental and legal system to the past - pointing out its connection to basic Chinese philosophy (Confucianism) and contrasting that foundation with the Judeo-Christian foundation of American society. Those divergent beginnings take the two societies in  two very different directions. In America we focus on individualism and individual rights. We believe that leads to the greatest happiness. Confucius focuses on creating harmony through properly structuring relationships. Hierarchy and order are the most effective means to accomplishing this. That is appropriate role of government - creating the order in which a harmonious society can thrive.

No statue of Mao on Campus

It may not be good for you, but it is good for society, for China - so that is how it is going to be. Manifestations of this idea are everywhere. The one child policy, for example. We did not talk to anyone who was happy about being limited to just one, but they all conceded that it was probably for the best given China's limited resources. It is the same story with neighborhood redevelopment -when your business is bulldozed to create a new building. Or, requiring permission to move from your birth place to the city to look for work. If everybody just did what they wanted, it would be chaos. The purpose of the law, the court, is to provide and enforce the order that makes society work.

A shared image, shared value?

At least that was the perspective of the judge we met in Nanjing. A court is a place to seek the harmonization of interests. People come to court as a result of conflict and conflict is harmful to society. The judge’s role is to find a way to eradicate that conflict and restore peace to the community. It is a philosophy quite different from our adversarial system, which seeks justice for individuals with little regard for the consequences to society. The Chinese system does not seem that far removed from the goals of the German system. It is a question of who's interests you have primacy.  In China they favor society.

Isn't that what you would expect in a communist (socialist) system? Perhaps, but China has been favoring society over individuals for millennia.  That's why the Confucian/Communist alliance is not all that incongruous.  Today's leaders are drawing on long-standing cultural values. Mao's Cultural Revolution was mostly a failure. The fact that you see more statues of Confucius than Mao is just evidence of which side won.

WiT? And the winner is...

Uh, it's a tie!  

This week's answer: Confucious.  This is actually the statue that appeared with great fanfare on Tian' an Men Square a few weeks ago - then disappeared mysteriously, without explanation - only to reappear in a courtyard of the China National Museum, where I saw it.   

First correct SP, he got 15 points added to his 105 for a total of 120.  Also guessing correctly before clues, AM - netting 10 points added to his 110 for a total of 120.  After all is said & done - it's a tie.  Also guessing correctly this week for ten points, and alone in third place: MZ, with 80 points.  Bringing up the rear - but still doing MUCH better than all of you who never tried... CM: 35,  NH: 25  KM: 20,

You: 0 - still the goose egg!

Remember Us?

Religion, China

One of the people we met in China described the Chinese attitude towards religion as ‘pragmatic’. He said there were six religions in China and he thought all of them had some good points. “We take those.  It doesn't matter where they came from.” Kind of a refreshing and open-minded view, and probably not surprising in a place where devout religiosity was never really the norm.

And what are the six religions that coexist side-by-side? His list was Taoism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Islam, Christianity, and (wait for it) - communism. I wonder if one has not been left off - capitalism? I guess the distinction might be between those religions that are practiced, as opposed to those whose principals are revered and taught. If the latter is your standard then maybe capitalism does not fit. If the former is the standard, maybe it is communism that drops off.

As for the other five, we saw evidence of the practice of each of them. Buddhism was probably the most widespread and common, with temples and shrines dating back centuries and representing significant architectural and cultural achievements of the ancient regimes. In Shanghai we visited a Taoist temple with priests and practitioners mingling with the visitors who paid 40 Yuan to visit the historic site. The mosques we visited in Nanjing and Xi’an were about the same. Xi’an has had an Islamic presence for centuries and the city has its Muslim quarter where their food and wares are quite prominent. Their mosque is both a place of worship and a tourist attraction but the religious go about their business unmolested.

The same is true of Christians.  On Easter we were invited to a “Home Church” meeting which took place in a hotel conference room. Despite hearing of government suppression, no one seemed worried about this group - who did their thing and went home. My sense is that if you don't stir up the hornets’ nest, the hornets leave you alone.  I  think the most interesting thing I saw was the revival of Confucianism. During the Cultural Revolution, Confucius was attacked in the fervor to destroy the old. 

Today, it seems the regime has come to appreciate Confucius’ conservative perspective and his calls to respect authority.  As a result, his prominence and that of his philosophy have grown in recent years. I saw more statues of Confucius than of the entire communist leadership combined. Confucius is out and about - Mao they keep in museums.

WiT? Clue:  You need one?  Seriously?

Flitting about...

As you must know, we are back home and safe in Danville.  The traveling is done, but the wrapping up and posting still has a ways to go.  If you have been following along, you know I have my '25 requirements' for each of the destinations I chose for my sabbatical.  Along the way, some of those things got set aside as we moved from one place to another.  Sometimes they got done, but I never got around to posting them.  Some of them were just not possible to do on the road.  Now that I am home, I am knocking them down, writing them up and will be posting them over the next couple weeks.  Those posts will have us jumping all over the place, from Russia to China and all points in between.  I still have a back log of Cuba posts that did not get up before we headed to China, so we will start with them.  We are not on the road again, just cleaning up.

China, Exploring Shanghai

The Shanghai portion of our trip was unlike any of the other legs of our journey - and I don't mean our journey in China, I mean from the first day in St. Petersburg. Shanghai was unique. In Shanghai we were blessed to be accompanied pretty much every step of the way. You already know about our wonderful Shanghai friend, Prof. Ma and his wife, Vivienne, but in Shanghai we also had our California friends Sandy and Pete.

At the outset of our journey we issued what we thought was a standing invitation to all of you to join us, anytime, for any part of our adventure. Sandy and Pete were the only ones we could convince to take us up on the offer.  It made a big difference to how we experienced the city. First, Pete knows Shanghai well. He is a pilot who flies Asia routes and finds himself in Shanghai a couple dozen times a year. 

Pete's been doing this for years and as a result has made a bunch of friends in Shanghai. He shared them with us. He gave us the opportunity to see another side of Shanghai - the side of everyday life. A side that could otherwise easily be missed as your head is turned by Shanghai's glitzier side.

The glitzy side is surely the one that makes the biggest impression. Downtown Shanghai, especially the riverside area known as the Bund, is something like New York meets Vegas. Shanghai is China's largest city by population by a pretty wide margin. 

Electronic traffic updates on freeway signs -
Maybe they are ahead of us in applying technology?

It is also China's economic engine, which means that it is going to have the mega skyscrapers you would find in New York. But there are a couple of differences. New York, being an Island, is a confined space. Shanghai is a bit more like LA in that respect. It can spread out in all directions and it does. Tall buildings, displaying extraordinary architectural panache, appear at all points of the compass. Shanghai's skyline is impressive in the day time - then the lights come on and it is like nothing I have ever seen. To me it is a great expression of China's vibrancy and confidence.

Who is That? This is It!

Here it is. The last image. Your last chance to get off the schneid, or move up the ranks. A new leader at the top this week, but victory is still up for grabs.

Send your guesses here.

Last answer: James Madison

First correct answer - AM

Scoring:  First Day - 10 pts.  

First Correct - Bonus 5.  

After Clues: 5 pts.  No Guess: 0 pts...

It was there all along,
only it was in Chinese.

The standings going into the final round:

AM:110

SP: 105

MZ: 70

CM: 35

KM:20

NH:20

You: 0

China, Medical

While we were in Beijing, we spent a lot of time with Mung-Mung, the daughter of a woman we met online, who volunteered to show us around her hometown. When we first met Mung-Mung she had a pretty bad cough. Her mother was concerned enough about it that she took Mung-Mung to the clinic to see a doctor. The doctor had done his diagnosis and made some recommendations. They were trying Option B: a traditional herbal remedy and waiting it out. When we left, a week later Mung-Mung was still coughing as much as ever and a return to the clinic was expected. They may have to switch to plan A, but that would be very expensive.

We heard this and similar stories a lot from people we asked about the healthcare system in China. Doctors are available, but medicine is very expensive and as a result, for most people, hard to come by.

One of the conclusions that I came to as a result of my visit to China was that Communism had pretty much disappeared from the “Peoples Republic”. The healthcare system is an example of how far from communism they have come. Mung-Mung’s case is instructive. Her mother has insurance but the insurance has a deductible that exceeds a month's wages.  The first couple thousand Yuan is on them. The insurance then is really more catastrophic than routine and even then it seems prescriptions are another matter.

From our perspective, we would think the costs involved in receiving medical care in China are quite modest. They may be out of pocket for care (unlike most of us) but at least the bills are small (by US standards). But it is all about purchasing power. We spoke to a number of people who struggle to keep their family well.

Rich people do okay. You can buy better insurance and you can visit private clinics or even travel to Hong Kong to get the care you’d like. Their system is a lot like ours. If you have money, you'll get good care. Not unusual, unless you thought you were in a communist country.

Beijing, 2nd Site. The Forbidden City

It's not hard to think that the world radiates out from the Forbidden City. The Middle Kingdom was the center of civilization and with the establishment of Beijing as China's capital, the Imperial City became the center, of the center of civilization. Today the Emperor’s home is still the center of the city. Everything still seems to radiate out of it and orbit around it.

The scale of the complex is mind-boggling.  It covers nearly 8,000,000 ft.² and includes nearly 1,000 buildings. There are massive gates that open onto an immense courtyard leading only to another massive gate protecting another immense courtyard. It makes the other places you have seen and thought impressive (Versailles) seem puny by comparison. It is difficult to find words to do justice to its scale.

But why? What possessed them (the Ming Dynasty) to want to build on the scale they did? It makes me wonder if there are any limits to ancient ruler’s megalomania. If they could enslave 1 million more to build something else for them, I guess they would. It makes you glad to be living now. We get to see all this stuff without making much of a contribution to its existence.

The Forbidden City is indeed a sight to behold. Our visit to Beijing did come at 

the end of almost a month in China. So, by the time we got to it we had seen great halls and walls and gates and temples. But none quite like what you see here. Bigger, grander, more numerous and concentrated if not so much in space (there's a lot of walking between them) then concentrated in time. In a few hours you encounter an immense collection of Imperial treasures. It is pretty overwhelming. And maybe that was the point. Still, you can go over the top - even when trying to overwhelm.

And even when overwhelming you can underwhelm. Someday, probably soon, they will renew the Forbidden City exhibits. In the back are the residential quarters, the buildings where the Imperial family hung out. They let you wander around those buildings and peer in through the glass at relics of their lives. I suppose they have some cool stuff in those rooms but the poor lighting and opaque windows make it hard to appreciate any of it. As architecture, it was great as a museum, pretty poor.

China, History: Wild Swans by Jung Chang

The book I chose for China was quite different from the other histories I had chosen for the other countries in this project. My preference going in was to see if there was not a good biography of the person who “made modern China”. That seemed like a good approach to Turkey (Atatürk) and Russia (Lenin) and I was disappointed I had not found a suitable book for Cuba (Castro). With China, the obvious person is Mao. I started my search there - but in looking for a book, I kept coming to the conclusion that maybe I had already read the best book out there about Mao, Stanley Karnow’s ‘Mao and China’. I started to wonder if looking at Mao was really going to shed a lot of light on the question I was most interested in: What China's past has to say about China's future.

In my exploration for a possible book on Mao, one of the books I considered was by Jung Chang: ‘Mao, the Unknown Story’. As I endeavored to learn about Chang, I discovered one of her other books ‘Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China’. It is a personal history of Chang, her mother and grandmother. I think it was the perfect choice.

One of the most striking things about China is the extraordinary pace of change Chinese people are experiencing. I have always thought Americans of my grandmother’s generation had experienced dramatic change. Born in the 19th century when horses were the dominant mode of transportation, she lived to experience the Internet. In comparative terms, next to three generations in China, those changes seem modest.

Chang’s grandmother, Yu Fang, is born in a China ruled by an Emperor and warlords. Women are chattle and subject to foot binding. That is the fate of Yu Fang. She becomes a warlord's concubine. Eventually that China decays into chaos and Yu Fang is able to escape. She later remarries a doctor with whom she has a child, Bao Qin, Chang’s mother.

Jung Chang's parents

Bao Qin is a revolutionary, fighting the Japanese, then the Nationalists and distinguishing herself in the process. She marries a Red Army commander and as true believers they commit to Mao’s path. It is not long before chaos once again engulfs the family. With the Cultural Revolution the communist regime begins to eat its own. Chang’s family crashes from lofty office to become political prisoners, while she is a member of the Red Guard - the very agents of her father's destruction. Meanwhile Chang herself is gaining an education.  She excels in English and wins a scholarship to Oxford. She does not go back.

Wild Swans is a fascinating look at how a Chinese woman's life has changed. It is my sense that China's period of rapid change and perhaps even relative chaos is by no means at an end. The fact that Chinese women now see themselves as Jung Chang, rather than Yu Fang sets the stage for more dramatic change. The more I learn, the more convinced I am that China is more like us, than not.

China, Exploring Beijing

People we met told us to be prepared for it. “Beijing is dull”, they said. Of course they were comparing Beijing to Shanghai and if that is your frame of reference, then yes next to Shanghai, Beijing is dull. It is a government town and government buildings tend to be utilitarian, no matter what the political system.

Beijing also seems to suffer from the same circumstances that make LA so nondescript when compared to San Francisco. 

The city is built on large, flat expanse without geographical features to constrain its spread. And so, over time has spread and continued to spread. There are not really high-rise buildings to speak of, certainly not a cluster of them to create the striking skylines we saw in Hong Kong and Shanghai. Beijing is big, flat and sprawling. It is kind of dull.

That is not to say that it's neighborhoods do not have character. Beijing is known for its Hutongs, or alleyways that branch off into courtyards around which modest low-slung residences are clustered. Walking up and down these blocks you have the feeling of having entered a small village in the middle of the city of millions. On the block you will find most of life's daily necessities offered at very simple establishments which appear to have no interest in serving the larger clientele that surrounds the neighborhood. Two blocks from Gucci you can find a store selling dry goods of the most humble order.

The other thing you notice, wandering around, is the city’s ability to transform itself rapidly. My friend Pete had talked of this over the years. How from one trip to the next, neighborhoods would disappear under the bulldozer - eventually a new development rises and takes its place. Up near the Olympic complex the evidence of this is quite striking. In the distance you can see the old, but at the complex itself not a stone is out of place. Everything fits the plan. Even if the plan is a bit flawed.

One of the extraordinary things we saw was at a ‘ghost mall’, just north of the Olympic stadium. Brand-new and completely empty. Acres of (nicely) boarded up storefronts - perhaps needed for 2 to 3 weeks, but no longer viable.  You wonder why they were ever built. Oh that's right. They were trying to impress the world.  They had the money and if they want something done - it gets done. No pesky neighborhood associations or tree sitters, not here.

Beijing, 1st site: Tian’an Men Square.

Tian’an Men Square, just the name of the place conjures up images and memories of the darkest moments in recent Chinese history. Being on the Square, you can still sense the legacy of that time.  As much as the Chinese government would like everyone to forget it ever happened, for me, the experience of Tiananmen Square was a series of reminders both of the results of that day, but also of the government’s failings and insecurities both then and now.

Tian’an Men Square is described as the largest public square in the world and its scale does not fail to impress - once you get there. But getting there is not as simple as just moseying on over. Unlike any other square I have encountered, access to Tian’an Men is tightly controlled. Though the square is ringed by large boulevards and served by three subway stops - creating the potential for many paths to and from - the government apparently does not want it to be that easy. Instead, the squares long perimeter is mostly enclosed by a low fence. Entry and exit happens only at designated points watched over by both local police and the army and happens only after you pass through airport style security screening. What are they afraid you will bring in to the Square? No idea. And is there a reason to worry more than the Russians worry about Red Square or the Germans about Brandenburger Tor? Or are they just being paranoid?

Once you get to the Square, the overriding sense I got was of emptiness. The Square is massive and in it you find just a flagpole and a rather nondescript memorial monument. That and a bunch of people milling about. Oh and soldiers - lots of soldiers. At the south end and technically still ‘in the square’ is Mao's Mausoleum.  Perhaps the square’s big draw. Every day thousands line up to pass quickly (double file) past the Great Helmsman's crystal coffin and earthly remains (or wax likeness?)

In the afternoon, after the MAO-so-leum closes, the square thins out and then at sunset, it closes. The soldiers start in the north and step shoulder to shoulder towards the south exits, guiding stragglers out of the space. Don't want anyone thinking they can camp out.  That's how all the trouble started last time.

WiT? Clue:  Was this American out of place, memorialized in China?  It was at a school of politics and law, among a pantheon of giants.  I think the point they were trying to make was the importance of the rule of law to a civilized society.  If so, then yes - he would make that point. 

Who is that? Penultimate Edition

Just two images left.  Just 30 points left on the table, which means the winner will be either SP or AM.  It's a dogfight at the top, but there's still time to get some bragging rights and avoid being at the bottom of the table.

This one is tough.  I was real surprised to see this guy in China.  It may say a lot about the future.

Send your guesses here.

Last answer: Dr. & Mrs. Sun Yat Sen

First correct answer - AM

Scoring:  First Day - 10 pts.  First Correct - Bonus 5.  After Clues: 5 pts.  No Guess: 0 pts...

The standings after 11 rounds:

SP: 100

AM:95

MZ: 60

CM: 35

KM:20

NH:20

You: 0

Museum, History: China National Museum

The lobby

Tian’an Men Square is the largest public square on the planet. More than a half a mile long and a quarter mile wide, it is a massive open-space. Three buildings frame the northern expanse. On the north is the gate to the Forbidden City. To the west is the Great Hall of the People, China's parliament. Massive and iconic structures. To the east is a structure built to hold its own in that daunting company, China's National Museum.

The building was built in tandem with the Great Hall to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic. It has the feel of 1950s Soviet triumphal architecture - built to exceed the scale of previous Chinese regimes. It is big. They say it houses more than 1 million artifacts - I did not count - it was big. If you needed to see the comprehensive collection of Chinese art, it was there for you.

But it also had the exhibits that are my favorites - their take on national history. Naturally, this also needs to be broken up into manageable pieces. China has had dynasties that last longer than the totality of American history. There are a lot of stories to tell. The 20th century alone would be compelling enough for a great museum. In this museum, it was just a great exhibit. One of many.

Even so, the 20th Century is an exceptional time for China. It starts with the humiliation of invasions and colonial exploitation. The Japanese are cut no slack in their portrayal, not softened at all by the passage of time. Western capitalism fares little better. There is no ambiguity about who the bad guys were, when China was down. But that is not the story.  The theme, in fact the title of the exhibit is the Road to Rejuvenation. It is the story of China, slaying its dragons one by one. First the Emperor, then the Japanese, then capitalism followed by modernization and next? I think the conclusion they want you to reach is that they will accomplish anything they set themselves too. The final display? Equipment that might be used in a Chinese lunar landing. Is China going to the moon? They will if they want to.

Museum, Art: the National Art Museum of China

Described as the largest gallery of art in China, the National Art Museum has no permanent collection, it seems. Instead, what they do is host rotating temporary exhibits. So, if what you are looking for is a comprehensive collection that chronicles the history and breadth of Chinese art, you would be in the wrong place. That's what you will find at the gargantuan China National Museum (next post – History) on Tian’an Men square. No, this museum is content to supply a few slices of Chinese art with no pretension of being complete.

I think that is why I liked it so much. I am not the world's biggest art lover. I think art can be interesting if it has something to say about a people, a time or a place - but for me, a little bit goes a long way. When we were in Shanghai we visited our first museum of Chinese art. Six floors in a building about the size of a football field. There was a lot to see including 6000 year old pottery. Amazing - but they have more pots than I needed to see. This museum was more my speed.

They had galleries on three floors, but the best I could tell just two exhibits (signage was pretty much exclusively Chinese - it was not uncommon anywhere we went - Germany, Turkey, Italy, China - to find temporary exhibits in just the local language)  The ground floor exhibit was a collection of the work of landscape artist Long Rui. A master the genre, the galleries were filled with a style of art already familiar to us - what you might call typical Chinese art. And then the artist travels. It was fun to see this style applied to the Italian village or the American Southwest.

In the upstairs galleries they had

a collection that seemed to focus on country life. It was here that I saw the first examples of something that could even remotely be described as political art. The interesting thing was that the politics were evident in what was NOT in the paintings, as much as what was there.  A painting of a PLA (Peoples Liberation Army) unit. No red flag, no communist iconography, just soldiers ready to go. Another favorite was the peasant farmers with their Nike and their cell phones. Things are changing out in the countryside.

Government Center: the Great Hall of the People

After being turned away from the Great Hall for the second time, I began to despair about being able to visit.  The guidebook and the online sources I had read all said that it was open to the public - except when it wasn't. It was just not entirely clear to me when it wasn't. What the guides said was that it was closed to tours during official sessions of the legislature - but these happened only once a year in March for a couple of weeks. Unusual for a western legislature, perhaps but not for a communist Parliament. The decisions are all made by the party higher-ups.  The legislature just shows up, says ‘Aye’ and goes home. So that should not be an obstacle to visiting. The other obstacles are the occasional state visit and performances held in the auditorium.

Our first try collided with the state visit of the Australian PM. It seems all the people we talked to knew for sure was that it was closed. “Come back tomorrow”.  So we did, only we came too late, it seems (11:30 AM). I’m not sure what the conflict was then - school groups were getting in, just not us. The third times a charm, as they say, so this time we planned for an 8:30 AM arrival. Not sure if we got lucky, or what - but we got in.

Of course, this time we had help. We were met at the entrance by the friend, of a friend, of a friend. Our Shanghai friend Professor Ma had introduced us to his Nanjing friend Prof. Hua, whose Beijing friend, Elton, volunteered to accompany us that day. And on that day, getting in was a breeze. It may have had something to do with his language skills. I'll never know.

Look close, he's there...

The first thing that impresses you about the Great Hall is the scale. It is truly massive. The entrance hall is several stories high and hundreds of feet long. It looks like thousands could gather in the foyer. It makes sense. China is a massive country. It's legislative building matches that scale

It was a little surprising after the difficulty we had getting in (you run a rather long gauntlet that takes you around the building before letting you approach the doors) but once inside they pretty much let you have the run of the place. Some of the spaces are cordoned off, but outside of that there was not much control. It seemed anything not cordoned off you could touch, including some nice displays in the various ‘province rooms’.  Each of China's provinces, including Taiwan btw, has a room decorated in its scenery.  Notably absent in the decoration? Overt communist iconography. I can't say if it was ever there but if it was, it's gone now. Mao even has only a peripheral presence, appearing only in a mural decorating one wall of his home province’s room. Much more prominent are the references to China’s long history. Communism represents just 1% of China's history and that's about all the space they get in the Great Hall, as well.

China, Commerce

Speaking about economic life in China, it gives me an opportunity to continue the last thread, shifting to the economic aspects of the one child policy.

Things are improving rapidly in terms of China's economic life. Statistics bear this out. Year after year, China's economic growth has dwarfed the rest of the world and slowly but steadily that growth is translating into improvements in the living standards of the Chinese people. The newspapers have reports of increases in minimum wages. Business people complained of rising labor costs and the difficulties of retaining their workers. Wandering around town and visiting Chinese homes, so much of what we saw looked new. Chinese people are starting to have the means to consume and they are beginning to consume.

I think that this is where you can connect to the reality created by the one child policy. The focus of a good deal of that new consumption seems to be on China's youth. In observing how people dress, it was not unusual at all to see older people still sporting what I would call Mao era dress. The young people would have looked at home in Europe or our Bay Area.

Now, some of the styles that they were wearing may have been fake, but I don't think that changes the dynamic.  

You wear fake Ralph Lauren because you can't afford the real stuff - but the reason you are wearing it in the first place is because you want the real stuff. China's youth is developing a taste for high-end consumer goods. Those goods, both real and fake are widely available not just in the big cities Beijing and Shanghai but in smaller or remote places like Guilin, as well.

A new generation, reared on indulgence and access to world brands, is coming-of-age in China. The marketing of those brands is not just about selling a shirt - rather a lifestyle. Today the kids want the shirt. Can China’s conservative political leaders keep them from one day demanding the lifestyle that goes with it? I don't think so. Princesses usually get what they want. For better or worse I think China becomes more like us every day.

China, Youth: the Princess Problem.

Deciding what to write about for this subject (youth/school) was something of a challenge. While in Shanghai with Prof. Ma, I had a great opportunity to experience China's university students first hand. I was invited to speak to two classes at the East China University of Political Science and Law. We discussed the tension between liberty and security and I saw how they do things large and small. Our public colleges could have it so good.

The longer I stayed in China, however, the more I became convinced that there was another, more interesting subject for this post: the social impact of the one child policy. What I call China’s Princess Problem.

Until now, when I thought about the one child policy, I always thought about it in its resource allocation dimension. China is a big country physically. One of the largest on the planet. The other big countries, US and Russia, are and have long been world powers. The other two big countries, China and Canada, both had population problems limiting the potential their geographic size created. Canada's population is too small and China's too large.

China resolved to do something about it. Over time they would reduce the size of their population by restricting family size. A couple could only have one child without penalty. The math works great. Over three generations 4 grandparents become 2 parents then 1 child. By the time that child becomes the grandparents you have potentially reduced your population by 3/4. Resources do not need to be spread so thinly. Less becomes more.  It is, of course, the kind of policy that can only be accomplished by an authoritarian state - but that's China. They can do it and they are doing it.

What was interesting to me are some of what I presume are the unintended (but in retrospect predictable) consequences of this policy. I know it's startling, but almost every child in China is an only child! They grow up with the undivided time, attention and affection of not just 2 parents but 4 grandparents.

Are they a little spoiled? How could they not be? Particularly given the rapid expansion of the Chinese standard of living. People are beginning to have some disposable income and their only (grand) child is often the repository of choice. It's not just the trinkets, though we saw kids soaking those up enough. It is also the hopes, dreams and expectations. The kids are under great pressure to succeed, to marry and to produce that only grandchild.

Sometimes it seems it all goes wrong. The newspapers had lots of articles complaining of spoiled youth – materialistic, self-centered, ungrateful. Stories of the young becoming estranged from their elders and their culture.  In a society where you are expected to care for elders this is a big deal - but it is also a tall order for one (grand)child spoiled or not.  Six elders expecting attention. The math is tough.