Showing posts with label China. Show all posts
Showing posts with label China. Show all posts

Friday, May 10, 2013

CHINA: ONE CHILD NORM AFFECTS YOUTH BEHAVIOUR


The Sky news reports an exceptional case of jealousy from China and the incident is related to two school girls aged 12, called Qin and Zhou for convenience. They were classmates. Of the two Zhou is nice looking with proper stature and Qin is chubby yet not ugly. Their common friends liked Zhou to make company with and for other extracurricular activities more than with Qin who they dubbed as fat and not very pretty.

Qin could not bear it and she got very jealous of Zhou. One day she invited Zhou to her home to play and while they were in Qin’s room, Qin smashed a stool on Zhou’s head from behind, killing her instantly with a broken head. Neither the killing nor the splash of blood on the floor unnerved Qin and her vengeance had not finished yet. She cut off her head and hands  with various weapons like kitchen knife, scissors, beer bottle etc and put the body parts in plastic bags and cleaned the floor.


The crime was soon found out.  Since Qin is below 14 years old criminal case was not slapped on her and the court sentenced her for two year’s rehabilitation. The court also ordered Qin’s parents to pay about $18000 to the Zhou’s family. Qin was sent to the rehabilitation Centre. Under one-child norm, for both the parents of Qin and Zhou they must be their only child and Qin while smashing the head of Zhou smashed the hearts of those parents too.


It is an extreme case of jealousy, there is no doubt about that. But cases of student rivalry are not uncommon in China and there are reported incidents of poisoning and killing fellow students in colleges. In 2004 a bright student from a poor family hammered and killed four of his classmates in cold blood. The reasons are more psychological than physical.


   The Chinese Government adopted the one-child norm to cut the spiralling population of their 1.3 plus Billion by half. The rule is strictly followed. As a consequence of it,  female foeticides increased and the  the parental care on the only child got too big to be comfortable for the child.


 In the present day Chinese society the only way to acquire prosperity and position in life lies in academic excellence. So the parents are always breathing on their only child’s back to guide him every minute of his life and push him to the frontier limits for better academic results. No child enjoys a carefree life. After the classes at school or college tuition classes awaits him. The parents have set a timetable  and a child’s life revolves round it. In schools or colleges too excellence and competition rule the roost.


The psychiatrists generally agree that growing up as a single child is not mentally healthy and does more harm to the child than good. There is every possibility for the child to become selfish, unloving, and obstinate and to lack such qualities like sharing, compassion and commitment. Has  the unusual jealousy of Qin got any relevance to it ? May be. But one thing is sure while the one child rule may help ease the burden of population it is giving unbearable stress on the children.


In a wider view, when all families in a nation have only one child how it would collectively affect the national behaviour ? It is yet to know, because no nation other than China has imposed and executed   the one-child norm before as is China doing now.  China being an important nation in the world, not only sociologists but the others are also curious to know the out come.







Friday, February 10, 2012

Indian Communists in Search of an Identity

 The General Secretary, Communist party of India (Marxist), criticized the Chinese communist party for abandoning communist ideals and embracing Market economy. This is the first time the party is taking courage to criticize them. The party chose a deafening silence when China attacked India some 50 years ago, and more recently when it made incursions on Indian borders and claimed ownership of Arunachal Pradesh. The party was also silent about China's expansionist policies in Tibet. They never found it as an imperialist tendency.

 It appears strange that the Indian Communist Party's only grouse against China is that it deviated from the communist ideologies to bring in economic reforms which, according to the Indian communists resulted in creating bigger gap between the rich and poor there and also made way for widespread corruption. The party sees them as symptoms of Capitalism

 It is a pity that While straying in to India's territories is of no concern to the party, the communists in India becomes concerned and sorry at China's so called incursions into capitalistic territories.

When the communist Governments in Russia and Eastern Europe fell one by one upon mass protests, the Indian communists’ only solace was China and the party reckoned it as a close ally though Chinese mostly ignored them.

 While the wind against Communism was blowing across nations, China was closely watching the scenario. One thing it noted was that if the people of a country en masse come against its Government it can not hold on for long and sooner or later the Government would fall. Then it took note that people's upsurge is rooted in discontentment which by and large stems from poverty and so wealth and prosperity are more important to manage a nation than feeding people with outdated ideals.

 Thereupon, China wasted no time to carry out financial reforms and it found that prosperity kept people engaged in share Markets or in business ventures who otherwise would have revolted against Government  for democracy or done some other mischieves. Whatever the real motive of Chinese Government at that time, it was a rare wise move communists round the Globe never thought to experiment. China, by choosing such an uncharted course was, in effect, giving primary importance to the welfare of the people and nation than to some vague impractical theories. It should be noted that China had no qualms to give up long preached and practiced ideals for the good of the party and nation.

A diametrically opposite view holds true  for its counter parts in India

The Communists in India are text-book communists and those who follow them have no idea how it is to live under a hard-core communist regime like that in Cuba. The communists never came to power in India nationally other than in a couple of states where they did not show any spectacular performance either, for example, the communists were in power in the West Bengal State for over 35 years and when they handed over power after election defeat it was one of the most backward States in India.

On financial reforms the oft-repeated complaint of socialists and communists is that it makes the gap between rich and poor bigger. Yes, it sure does. Unlike in a restricted economy, economic liberalisation motivates people to work hard which in turn help earn them money and the smarter ones earn more wealth. Since abilities of people differ some may get richer than the rest. Variations in the distribution of wealth is inevitable in such a set up and to stand against it is to embrace poverty for the sole reason of preventing some people from prospering and it is a negative idea.  

   Even  the most indolent person would benefit something in a regime of liberated economy. In India after the opening up of economy, the gap is wide yet the number of persons in the below poverty line is markedly decreasing. In Kerala even the beggars have mobile phones, a situation unthinkable unless the economy was liberated. The communists too know this but they have to fight against reforms and resultant rejuvenation of economy to prevent more people getting rich as once rich,  most people desert communist ideals.

Perhaps it answers the reason for the difference in attitudes of Indian and Chinese communists. In china there are no other political parties except the Communists. So, if the reforms brought in prosperity the goodwill of the people goes to them alone. In India since communist party is one among many parties supporting reforms turns suicidal for them. The welfare of the nation comes only next.

  Sri. Prakash Karat, also said that the party is going to focus on and be friendly with communist movements in Latin American countries. In Latin America notable countries have democratically elected Governments like  Brazil, Argentina, Chile, El Salvador, etc  which can change any time including their policies and unlike the Indian communists Latin American countries  have become prosperity-conscious in recent past.  Sri Karat  has every chance to get disappointed again on his Latin American interest.

 The Time has, therefore arrived for communists in India for a self introspection and to chart a new path tailored in tune with the aspirations of modern India.




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