TT- Your picture of historical rural China is quite farcical. The owners of the land were not the farmers, the farmers were serfs, peasants or even slaves and were legally bound to work long hard lives for their exploitative landlords from the ruling classes. That was why the Chinese Revolution was so well supported by the peasant class in China. Of course it all went a bit pear-shaped but the collective farms actually gave more control to the peasants farming them than the previous wealthy landlords ever did, and certainly women were able to enjoy more freedom. Don't forget there are still some women still alive today with the dreadful maimed bound feet left from the customs of before the revolution.

Now most of Eastern China is relatively prosperous, but Western China, which has some areas of racial minorities is not. As in HK these people from Western China have to have permission and 'papers' (internal passports) to travel elsewhere in the country, particularly to the cities of Eastern China. It is not a paradise, but as Bill says now the peasants have jobs and some degree of independence as to their future.

China has a complicated history to western eyes, and we feel it is taking a long time to decide on their future--- but think how long it took us in the west--- Hundreds and hundreds of years. This phase of Chinese development is only decades old and at the moment they are probably doing better than most of their critics.

Last edited by Ellis; 07/30/12 06:06 AM.