Chongqing: Invisible City - China

April 2006
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2006/mar/15/china.china

Welcome to the largest city in the world. Migrant workers flood in and skyscrapers rise up. But what is the real cost of rapid industrialisation? Jonathan Watts investigates.

Li Zhiguan, also known as Spiderman, perches perilously on the side of a towerblock. "I've seen a very big change in the city. From up here, you can notice the difference in the space of a week." For the rich, Chongqing is 'a place of dreams.' However, the majority here live below the poverty line by doing back-breaking work. With the population set to double to 20 million by 2020, worries about the environment and workers welfare are put to one side. Nothing, it seems, is going to stop the industrial revolution of the 21st Century.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• China
• Chongqing
• Invisible
• City
• 21st
• century
• Industrial
• Revolution
• news
• documentary
• current affairs
• journeyman
• journeyman pictures

[dukee155]

@eaglepie Do you think we should get rid of that choice for them to make a better living for themselves in the cities? I'll put it to you this way In China it used to be only high ranking officials in the communist party who got cars. Now millions of cars are being sold. Also they probably won't starve in the rural areas they have been living there for years however the amount of money they earn working on a farm is a lot less then working in a factory.

[eaglepies]

@dukee155 so what if the factories are less worse than the rural areas? on the grand scale of things they're both terrible. and a choice between work there, or starve to death, isn't a choice at all. have a heart

[FalunGongIsAmazing]

@ dukee155

In NZ you can only do something if the person refuses to leave (you ring the cops) or if they threaten you.

[dukee155]

@FalunGongIsAmazing well if I am trespassing you are.

[FalunGongIsAmazing]

@ dukee155

If you come to my house am I allowed to treat you badly or kill you ?

[dukee155]

@FalunGongIsAmazing I meant that it happens in his factory which is his property.

[FalunGongIsAmazing]

@ dukee155

Migrant workers aren't an employers property. But that's how they get treated.

.

The CCP gives rich Chinese power and rural Chinese get treated like dirt.

[dukee155]

@FalunGongIsAmazing Well because its his property I do not go to your house and tell you how to run things why should you tell them?

[FalunGongIsAmazing]

@ dukee155

Why should an employer get away with treating employees SO badly ???

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That doesn't happen in NZ where I live

[dukee155]

@FalunGongIsAmazing Well I agree that the Chinese government should allow free speech. However they are not completely dominated by their employer because they are allowed to stop working or quit whenever they want and work for someone who is a little less dominating.