the more i read this news article, the more ironic i feel. the article states: “China’s socialist laws theoretically protect workers even as the country embraces capitalist ways. But the police crush efforts to set up independent unions as threats to the Communist Party.” i’m not surprised but still it’s so unbelivably ironic; it’s just pathetic. allow me to go over some history – during the first united front in 1920s, the Nationals (now the gov’t of taiwan) and the communist united under USSR’s encouragement to take over china from the warlords. the communist was best known for spreading idealism and help with workers’ rights. they helped forming labor unions in many places esp. in shanghai. they encouraged workers to protest against their unfair treatment. but Chiang Kai-shek, the leader of the Nationalist was close to the rich people. in fact most of their army was founded by rich people. they were certainly not happy to see the workers gaining power. convinced to strike first, Chiang Kai-shek open fired at the communist without warning. wiped out an incredible number of communist members in no time. the event is remembered as bai se kong bu – white terror of 1927. yes communists died then but they seem to me were heros who had given their lives to help those who were worst off. when did the original idealism take a complete flip? oh i know when.. after Mao’s ideal devasted China – after his intension to give everyone enough to eat, surf pass the US in steel production brought chinese disasters after disasters, no one believes in it any more. china is now a capitalist country where money is the only god everyone worships but sharing idealism is nowhere to be found. why does this seem to me like history repeating itself? when will china be able to truly balance sharing and economic growth?

continue quoting:
“Some 20 years after it began attracting billions of dollars in foreign investment, Shenzhen and the surrounding province of Guangdong have become the world’s largest and most dynamic manufacturing center, making everything from shoes to Sony PlayStations.

But the region’s success depends on an endless turnover of migrants from the hinterland, who rarely become full local residents and are effectively prohibited from bargaining for a share of the profits.

Although all Chinese and foreign companies with more than 100 employees are required by law to open a branch of the national union, company executives acknowledge that they generally ignore that rule. Those that do set up a union often do so in name only, putting managers in charge and rarely if ever holding meetings that include workers.”