- Modern China has managed to reduce their amount of their population in poverty to 5%. While that number may seem low, with a population of roughly 1.27 billion people, 5% of that number is still a massive number of people in comparison to other countries.
- China differs greatly from the U.S. in their public assistance programs. In China, one must have no work, no savings and no family to rely on in order to receive financial assistance.
- China has changed how they fund health and education. They put much of the responsibility of paying for these services on their citizens. Thus, more citizens are finding it harder and harder to pay for basic tuition and supplies for their child's education.
While on initial review, it may seem that China has less poverty. However, with closer inspection, it seems that China has placed so much financial burden for services that we take for granted as being nationally or state funded, that they are actually creating poverty within their own nation.
After reading so much on poverty this week, what concerns me the most are people who are the working poor. I deal with many students from these types of homes in my school district. Their families are hard-working and strive to have more, but due to poor economy or lack of proper education or training, are unable to attain their goals.
References:
The Childhood Poverty Research and Policy Centre (CHIP). (2007) Country Overviews Retrieved fromhttp://www.childhoodpoverty.org/index.php?action=countryo
Hi Rachel,
ReplyDeleteYour post is very interesting. It seems that anytime poverty has been reduced it is a step forward. China does differ because in the United States people who receive supplemental income such as disability or retirement may sometimes qualify for food stamp assistance. It must be hard for the people of China having the responsibility of paying for health cost and education. It is a serious issue for the working poor striving hard to provide for their families but seem to be getting nowhere especially when it comes to their children's education.
Hi Rachel, your right, poverty is still present in China. I did believe poverty was declining. I can understand your point of the financial burden for services is creating poverty within their own nation.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the enlightenment....
Andrea Cureton
Rachel,
ReplyDeleteNice post. I choose China as well, and I didn't get a reply either. I've experienced poverty, and I see children who are suffering from the effects of poverty. What was interesting to me was that so many people even some middle class people are below the poverty level.
Rachel,
ReplyDeleteVery informative post; thank you! You are right, even at 5%, that is a massive amount of people who are suffering! How sad is it that China is actually contributing to their own poverty problems, instead of helping it!