A Long Way To Go

There is a short but sweet article from All Roads Lead to China on Shanghai's 100 hardest jobs, which looks at the lives of China's poorer workers (who make up the bulk of the country's 1.3bn citizens). The editors conducted over 100 interviews with workers ranging from a cigarette salesman to a watermelon vendor.

I was particluarly struck by an interview with a hat salesman, who reminds the reader of the challenges facing China's underclass

Q: If there was one thing you could change about your job, what would it be?
A: Change? It is such a luxury to me. How can I dream about changing my current status? I want to do my own business, like opening my own restaurant, but who will give me the money? I want to recruit and train my employees, but who will teach me how to manage or run my place? I dare not think of change. I guess my only hope is my son. He is the one (sic) can bring real changes.

The authors note a recurring theme of "hope and opportunity for the next generation".

China's immense population is frequently criticized for saving too much and consuming too little, which makes the country dependent on exports in order to grow. These interviews serve as a reminder that, because many of China's citizens are placing their hopes with the next generation, saving is likely to remain a fact of life in China for a very long time.

(h/t China Law Blog)