| Full Text | Since the late 1970s, China has experienced an unprecedented economic boom, and is today's fastest growing major economy. Its economic reforms of 1978 allowed large amounts of capital to flow within the country, spurring the economy into a period of breakneck growth. Tens of millions of rural Chinese have been drawn into China's cities looking for work, and countless businesses-foreign and domestic-have sprung up in China, each eager to grab a piece of China's 1.3 billion-strong customer base: the world's largest. It is an exciting time. In a country where people starved from widespread poverty only 50 years ago, business is booming like never before. More and more people are living longer, more comfortable lives, and are finally able to afford luxuries like air conditioners, refrigerators, mobile phones, and cars. For them, China's rapid rise is a dream come true-a transition to a modern country.
But not everyone is happy. To make room for development, citizens have been evicted from their homes and forcibly relocated. Lax environmental practices have spawned 16 of the world's 20 most polluted cities. The income gap between rural and urban China has widened. Northern China's deserts are expanding and Beijing's water tables have dropped. More people are suffering from diseases related to air pollution, water pollution, and fatty diets. Is China's dream turning into a nightmare? 10,000 Shovels examines the causes and effects of China's development boom, and encourages students to evaluate and appreciate its benefits and costs.
(accessed at: http://spice.stanford.edu/catalog/10000_shovels_chinas_urbanization_and_...)
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