As I spend time in China I am gradually learning about the migration of people from rural areas into the cities, seeking employment within factories in hopes of making a better living. It is not an easy life and is an area that needs help from a humanitarian standpoint. The money is not very good and the work and living conditions are rather severe.
For those who are interested in learning about this I will give two sources. The first is a paper found at
It is hard to comprehend a system of plants and living units for 300,000 workers in less than a one square mile area. With the number of suicides increasing there is a growing concern by outside interest about work and living conditions.
The second is an excellent book written by a Chinese, Leslie T. Chang, who lived in China for a decade as a correspondent for the Wall Street Journal in Beijing. Her book is titled “Factory Girls” and describes what life is like working in the factory system. It is very difficult for most Americans to comprehend the kind of life they experience. Leslie adds credibility to her book by tracing her family roots in China and showing the influence it had in the first half of the twentieth century.
No comments:
Post a Comment