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China:

China:. THE WORLD’S NEXT SUPERPOWER http://www.liontv.com/Usa/Productions/Discovery-Atlas--China. China’s Economy. China is the fastest growing country on earth The largest communist state is becoming the world’s most powerful economy

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China:

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  1. China: THE WORLD’S NEXT SUPERPOWER http://www.liontv.com/Usa/Productions/Discovery-Atlas--China

  2. China’s Economy • China is the fastest growing country on earth • The largest communist state is becoming the world’s most powerful economy • Predicted that China will be the largest economy in the world in about 20 years. • Consumes 1/3 of the world’s steel • Consumes ½ of the world’s concrete • In one minute China burns: • 2 and ½ tons of coal • 24 million watts of electricity • 210,000 gallons of crude oil • Estimated that within 30 years, we will need another planet earth to satisfy China’s demand for raw materials Source: (Discovery Atlas: China Revealed, 2006)

  3. Traditional China… • Patty fields in Long Shen • Rice: one of China’s staple foods. • 20 miles of peaks on the “dragon’s back” • Less than 10% of China can be farmed. • China was once very dependent on agriculture… • 1958-1961 famine. Many starved to death. • Chinese government estimated that there were about 15 million excess deaths in this time period. • Until 1978, the Communist Party controlled all of China’s land • Reform in 1978 handed the land over to the “peasants” • Income rocketed 1500%. Qualify of life increased. But still poor… Source: http://www.globalissues.org/article/4/poverty-around-the-world#WorldBanksPovertyEstimatesRevised

  4. Revolution in the cities • Communist party encourages entrepreneurs to build their own businesses in the reform of 1978. • Lead to one of the greatest migrations in history • Tens of millions of Chinese left farm life to seek fortune in the cities. • Shanghai is 8 times the size of New York. • Investors pour 10 billion dollars into Shanghai every year. • Population of 23 million people • 3 million of those are migrant workers from farms. • Today, China is #1 exporter and #2 importer • Factories spring up all over • “Made in China” • What problems can come from this? Source: Discovery Atlas: China Revealed (2006)

  5. “Sweatshops” • World Bank defines poverty as people living on $1.25 per day. • Since the Chinese reform in 1978, poverty rates have declined from 85% to 16% in 2005 (over 600 million people) • BUT…many people are still very poor. • PROBLEMS IN THE FACTORIES… • Minimum wage doesn’t meet the living costs of its workers. • Overtime hours • High intensity jobs (can be very dangerous!) • Face lots of discrimination for age, gender and health • Unhealthy work environment • No labor contracts • Sources: http://www.globalissues.org/article/4/poverty-around-the-world#WorldBanksPovertyEstimatesRevised • http://www.chinalaborwatch.org/pro/proshow-149.html

  6. the Asian Brown Cloudand Pollution • Asian Brown Cloud: a layer of pollution that covers part of South Asia • Appears as a giant brown stain on the satellite • Created from pollutants from combustion: • Wood fires, cars, factories, etc… • Especially bad in the winter • Why? Have you experienced anything like this? • 300,000 to 400,000 people die prematurely every year in China because of pollution-related reasons Source: (“Asian Brown Cloud—Fact and Fantasy,” Srinivasan, J and Gadgil, S, 2002)

  7. Modernization • Shift from “Traditional” to “Modern” society • Urbanization and Industrialization helped this shift occur. • Import Western styles of design and living • Shift from traditional, simple lifestyle? • Is China losing its simple way of life? • Is China losing its traditional values? • Is China losing its ancient culture to modernization? • How do you balance traditional and modern lifestyles? • Is it possible? • Source: http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/387301/modernization

  8. Case Studies: views of modernization Source: Discovery Atlas: China Revealed (2006)

  9. Final Thoughts… • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L33gH-vleIg

  10. In your opinion, is modernization a positive or negative thing? • Clearly state your opinion (positive, negative or somewhere in between) • Support your opinion with two reasons that we’ve discussed in class. • Write at least 3 complete sentences

  11. Citations • Opening Slide: • http://chinadivide.com/2010/war-on-westernization-in-china.html • http://www.aroundtheworldfood.com/category/china/ingredients/ • http://totallycoolpix.com/2011/02/china-the-worlds-factory/ • http://www.nasa.gov/vision/earth/environment/brown_cloud.html • http://www.impactlab.net/2010/05/23/chinas-indoor-air-pollution-kills-2-2-million-children-every-year/air-pollution-china-photo/ • http://dailyreporter.com/2009/06/24/china-defends-curb-on-exports/ • http://www.waronwant.org/overseas-work/sweatshops-and-plantations/china-sweatshops

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