Ethnic Minorities...

[rogerluli]

China has 55 officially recognized "nationalities" or "ethnic minorities" within its borders. They comprise some 9% of the total population of the PRC and Taiwan.

Everyone is well aware of the recent clashes in China involving the majority Han and minorities in Tibet and now Urumqui. I thought this article was particularly insightful concerning the history and why's and wherefor's of these troubles.

 

The central government's predictable response to these flare-ups is, of course, "outside agitators"...pure rubbish... Large scale uprisings like these do not occur without the presence of deep-seated and serious problems...Trying to sweep it all under the rug is not useful for either side...

 

 

The end of class-struggle identity

The increasingly frequent conflicts between Han and other groups indicate the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP's) policy toward ethnic minorities has become ineffective in maintaining harmonious relations between peoples.

 

For the past 60 years, the stated aim of the CCP's policy has been to maintain national unity and stabilize civil society. The communist government considers all ethnic groups to be Chinese, but encourages all ethnic groups, especially minorities, to keep and develop their traditional cultures. The government has even helped minorities with only a spoken language create their own writing system.

 

The idea that all people in China belong to the "great family of Chinese" is not the invention of the communists. This attitude began with the founding father of modern China, Dr Sun Yat-sen, and was supported by early Chinese enlightenment thinkers such as Liang Qichao and Hu Shih.

 

In the era of chairman Mao Zedong, the ethnic policy was dictated by his class-struggle doctrine, by which all Han and non-Han working people shared one common identity - socialist labor. The term "labor" meant they were also the owners of the country - constitutionally and ideologically. Capitalists, land owners, serf owners and other "exploiters" - regardless of their ethnic origins - were the enemies.

 

This policy successfully surpassed ethnic differences and constructed a shared identity for all working people. To an extent, this policy under Mao united all ethnic groups in the "class struggle" against the "oppressors". It also made the former elites of ethnic minorities diehard enemies of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

 

The working poor of China's ethnic groups gave much support to the CCP government, and accepted their new socialist identity. Han and non-Han people became equal economically and politically, and the idea of ethnicity was gradually faded out by the idea of class.

 

The concept of a common class, which gave equality to all people in the same class regardless of their ethnicity, surpassed the idea of ethnic identity and forestalled ethnic conflict.

 

But when the class-struggle doctrine was practiced to the extreme particularly during the Cultural Revolution between 1966 and 1976, it gave the Red Guards - consisting of mostly Hans - the ground to attack China's cultural and historical heritage - Han as well as ethnic - in the name of the revolution. These attacks tremendously hurt the feelings of ethnic minorities.

 

After the Cultural Revolution, apparently as some form of compensation, the Chinese government began to award some privileges and preferences to ethnic minorities.

 

For example, the tough one-child policy applies only to Han couples. Accordingly, the birth rate and population proportion of the Han are decreasing, compared to other ethnic groups. Meanwhile, privileges have been granted to ethnic minorities for employment and education opportunities. To boost economic growth, the government in recent years has poured much money into ethnic minority areas.

 

Many Han are upset at what they see as discrimination. In the aftermath of the Shaoguan brawl, Guangdong party secretary Wang Yang visited and consoled the injured Uyghur workers, but allegedly ignored the injured Han workers. This angered the Han workers and increased their suspicion of the government's policy.

 

Even as ethnic groups, such as the Uyghurs, complain they are being exploited or discriminated by the Han, many Han accuse the government of doing the same. In the end, as China's economy advances, political and economic equality between Han and non-Han is being undermined.

 

The wealth gap is expanding between the Han, who in general live in rich areas, and those ethnic minorities who live in relatively poorer areas. The economic inequality between different regions is also a case between Han and non-Hans. Although this imbalance of economic development is due to many factors, it's easy for minorities to feel exploited by the Han.

 

As the influence of Marxism as the dominant ideology is diminishing in China, the sense of political equality is also abating. Today, common people aren't really considered the owners of the country, and laborers are no longer a respected class. Capitalists have become the government's guests of honor.

 

In China, political equality based on class equality has collapsed. For the past 60 years, this idea of class equality was a basis on which all common people, including minorities, could maintain an identity as one member of the Chinese political community.

 

Now, the economic and political marginalization of ethnic minorities is destroying the foundation of some ethnic groups' Chinese identity. At the same time, this marginalization is deeply misunderstood by many of the majority Han ethnic group.

 

The shared identity of the Chinese - as socialist labor - is gradually falling to pieces. The resulting riots in Urumqi may be just the start of something much, much bigger.

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/China/KG08Ad02.html

 

<article text separated from personal comments using quotes>

Edited July 9, 2009 by LeeFisher3 (see edit history)

[david_dawei]

roger, I'll give you this.. the topic is generally important and more discussion needs to happen.

 

But, it's written in typical short term view of the last day or decade or century. The Yuan Dynasty (Mongul rule) was about the first time non-chinese ruled and naturally some recognition occurs to "non-Han" (coined by the Han dyasty). But the Manchu rule of the Qing Dynasty formally extended equal recognition to non-Han.

 

While this may not be such a long ago history of recognition may point to the simple fact that nobody would bother invade such a large country and that unification of china has always an interior goal for reasons beyond what we not ascribe or acknowledge.

 

Of course, your counter argument will be; that is the past and we are now in the present... I would only say that the west likes to think in simple ways; and china may not so easily forget their 10,000 years of historical influence which brings them to the present.

[whome?]

Very good article Roger. Thanks for the link.

 

I agree with your comments to a certain extent but IMO it is not "pure rubbish" that these flare-ups have some backing/support from "outside agitators". There are powerful separatists groups for both of these regions. I am not convinced they always start some of the protests but they certainly enter into the mess and fuel the fire once started.

 

"Trying to sweep it all under the rug is not useful for either side" is right on target however.

[Guest shutterbug]

Of course, your counter argument will be; that is the past and we are now in the present... I would only say that the west likes to think in simple ways; and china may not so easily forget their 10,000 years of historical influence which brings them to the present.

 

Yep. Generally people like to see things in black and white, and mass media hardly help nowadays - TV "news" coverage in particular, with the proliferation of talk shows, often offer few facts but lots of opinions. Forget about historical context.

 

Exhibit A: news reports in the US rarely fail to add the tag line "China regards Taiwan as a renegade province" at the end of any story related to tension across the strait. Tell that to the late Chiang Kai-shek. To him, it was the other way around: the mainland was many provinces infested with "communist bandits".

 

Exhibit B: western media like to talk about the "Chinese invasion of Tibet" in 1959, as if it was something that happened overnight. Ironically, integrity of China's territories was one of the few things the two bitter rivals that have ruled China since 1911 could manage to agree upon. In the 1980s when I read publications from Taiwan in which Nationalists highly praised the Communists for the border war with India, I was very surprised - before that I never knew the two sides had anything nice to say about each other.

 

The central government has spent lots of money and efforts cultivating influnce in these far-flung ethnic regions. Obviously it has not been working, despite the government's claims otherwise - for ethnic Hans who do not live in these areas, they have no personal experience to rely on; for those who do live there, it is no secret that different ethnic groups lived separate lives. It is easy to understand the Hans frustration over government policies, however, just ask how whites feel about Affirmative Action - it is a mixed bag, while it was well-intentioned when it was instituted and there were good reasons behind it, as any policy goes it has its flaws.

Edited July 11, 2009 by shutterbug (see edit history)

[Guest shutterbug]

Very good article Roger. Thanks for the link.

 

I agree with your comments to a certain extent but IMO it is not "pure rubbish" that these flare-ups have some backing/support from "outside agitators". There are powerful separatists groups for both of these regions. I am not convinced they always start some of the protests but they certainly enter into the mess and fuel the fire once started.

 

"Trying to sweep it all under the rug is not useful for either side" is right on target however.

 

Yes, acknowledging the underlying problems would be the first step toward resolving them. But the denial is expected to continue...

 

Speaking of "outside agitators", I'm sure Ankara's "outrage" would not be well received by the average Chinese, if he actually got the wind of it. Surely Xinjiang is far far away from Beijing, but it is FARTHER away from Istanbul.

[rogerluli]

china may not so easily forget their 10,000 years of historical influence which brings them to the present.

 

ARRGGGHHHHHH...David you're lost in the mists of pre-ancient time... Authoritative sources I checked claim that China's history goes back 4,000 years although a 5,000 year claim is often made...You have now doubled the most generous guesstimate...

[Yuanyang]

china may not so easily forget their 10,000 years of historical influence which brings them to the present.

 

ARRGGGHHHHHH...David you're lost in the mists of pre-ancient time... Authoritative sources I checked claim that China's history goes back 4,000 years although a 5,000 year claim is often made...You have now doubled the most generous guesstimate...

oh what's 5-6 thousand years among friends.... whatever the number those years were with very limited information and no knowledge of the outside world by the masses and to suggest that 5,000 years of historical infuence overrides what their (the masses') eyes and ears take in today would somehow suggest that Chinese are genetically driven in their thoughts.

 

I don't buy that.

[david_dawei]

china may not so easily forget their 10,000 years of historical influence which brings them to the present.

 

ARRGGGHHHHHH...David you're lost in the mists of pre-ancient time... Authoritative sources I checked claim that China's history goes back 4,000 years although a 5,000 year claim is often made...You have now doubled the most generous guesstimate...

You need to expand beyond just history and look at archeology or even paleontology.

 

Pottery and graves date back even as far back as 16,000 years... I'll stayed conservative and I already gave you 5,000 year compromise.

 

Their population is estimated at 5 million around 5,000 B.C... Are you saying 5 million were born overnight and capable of instantly recording history too?

 

Maybe we should ignore such parts of science because no one could 'write' it down yet?

[rogerluli]

china may not so easily forget their 10,000 years of historical influence which brings them to the present.

 

ARRGGGHHHHHH...David you're lost in the mists of pre-ancient time... Authoritative sources I checked claim that China's history goes back 4,000 years although a 5,000 year claim is often made...You have now doubled the most generous guesstimate...

You need to expand beyond just history and look at archeology or even paleontology.

 

Pottery and graves date back even as far back as 16,000 years... I'll stayed conservative and I already gave you 5,000 year compromise.

 

Their population is estimated at 5 million around 5,000 B.C... Are you saying 5 million were born overnight and capable of instantly recording history too?

 

Maybe we should ignore such parts of science because no one could 'write' it down yet?

 

I find the planet's population is 5 million in 5,000 BC...Give or take a few dozen...

 

http://www.atgc.org/TimeLine/timeline_data_file_11.txt

[david_dawei]

true. But China would be the largest percentage of that. I think now china is 1/5 of worlds population; Around 500-1000 BC it is estimated around 1/4 or better (largest at this point)... keep going backwards and their #1 position would remain and probably be more.

 

Your chart also shows world at 4 mil at 10,000 BC. Do you still say china came aong later in time?

[rogerluli]

true. But China would be the largest percentage of that. I think now china is 1/5 of worlds population; Around 500-1000 BC it is estimated around 1/4 or better (largest at this point)... keep going backwards and their #1 position would remain and probably be more.

 

Your chart also shows world at 4 mil at 10,000 BC. Do you still say china came aong later in time?

 

I am not arguing anything about China's place in world history...I will happily give them the position of firstest with the mostest...

 

But to believe that all of that baggage is carried along with every Chinese person as they go about trying to scratch out a living every day is beyond any reason I can fathom...

 

Look at it this way...4 generations back I am of European (German/Polish) ancestry...To imagine that that fact has any bearing at all on the way I have functioned through my life is absurd...

[whome?]

On Friday, Rebiya Kadeer, the Washington-based head of the World Uighur Congress, said that by her organization's tally, based on unconfirmed reports from family members and community leaders, the number of dead Uighurs could be in the thousands. The Chinese government has accused Kadeer of inciting the violence, a charge she denies.

 

As reported in Washington Post....

[rogerluli]

Great discussion, can I join in?

 

I get ill when I hear '5,000 years of history', but its overuse doesn't diminish its effect. When you have a closed culture, societal norms tend to have very long life. IMHO it is quite possible, even probable, that a common thread ties history to current culture and thinking.

 

Not to pick on ya Rog, though I do love to do so, your comparison is flawed. Like you my ancestors came from Germany and became Americanized, leaving behind their culture and adopting the culture of where they lived in the US. Some immigrants chose to stay in homogeneous areas and maintained the old country ways. Those who didn't and become Americanized lost many of the old ways within a few generations. So the argument that our experience is different than Chinese, and the Chinese link to their history is therefore moot, is a straw man.

 

I'll give you and David this... The Chinese are different than westerners... For them the center USED TO BE the family...For westerners it is the individual...

 

After the cultural revolution, after Deng said "to get rich is glorious", after the one-child policy...There has been a sea change in the Chinese mind and the 5,000 years of history thingmie has gone out the window...As China has "opened up" and been assimilated into the world culture and economy the old China is disappearing with much greater efficiency and speed than the Red Guards ever imagined possible...

 

You may fire when ready Gridley... B)

[Yuanyang]

Great discussion, can I join in?

 

I get ill when I hear '5,000 years of history', but its overuse doesn't diminish its effect. When you have a closed culture, societal norms tend to have very long life. IMHO it is quite possible, even probable, that a common thread ties history to current culture and thinking.

 

Not to pick on ya Rog, though I do love to do so, your comparison is flawed. Like you my ancestors came from Germany and became Americanized, leaving behind their culture and adopting the culture of where they lived in the US. Some immigrants chose to stay in homogeneous areas and maintained the old country ways. Those who didn't and become Americanized lost many of the old ways within a few generations. So the argument that our experience is different than Chinese, and the Chinese link to their history is therefore moot, is a straw man.

 

I'll give you and David this... The Chinese are different than westerners... For them the center USED TO BE the family...For westerners it is the individual...

 

After the cultural revolution, after Deng said "to get rich is glorious", after the one-child policy...There has been a sea change in the Chinese mind and the 5,000 years of history thingmie has gone out the window...As China has "opened up" and been assimilated into the world culture and economy the old China is disappearing with much greater efficiency and speed than the Red Guards ever imagined possible...

 

You may fire when ready Gridley...

Sadly, I have to agree with the bolded part. Lucky for me (probably most of us) I got one of the old schoolers who still put family first. My impression of the current batch of teenagers is an '80s ME generation.

Exactly my point.

[Jeikun]

Al lot of you over 40 guys and ladies are missing a lot of what comprises "modern" China I think. Despite obvious cultural differences, my wife bore more resemblance to someone I would meet down the street than this storied vision of the Chinese people I often read on this website. Their world has changed drastically, and I think somewhere around 36 and under you start seeing it more and more with many of the urban teens and 20 somethings being even more shallow and spoiled than your typical American kid. The generation gaps developing dwarf anything in the western world (as pretty much anything Chinese tends to do). The # of people who hold a Prada bag more valuable than filial piety, and dressing in the latest fashions more important that 50 millionty-billion years of culture is grown exponentially. You're all talking about a pre 1980's china that is fading like an old violet. Stick around a couple more decades.

Edited July 13, 2009 by Jeikun (see edit history)