China economic growth is said to have lifted hundreds millions of people out of poverty in the country. However, a closer look on the matter shows that serious cracks have appeared on that image.
According to World Bank statistics nearly 800 million people, in a country of 1.3 billion, have been lifted out of poverty in China since Deng Xiaoping reforms. That is certainly a great achievement, worth in itself a Noble Peace Prize for improving life of nearly 10% of World's population. Is it?
Unfortunately, reality turns out to be more nuanced and grim. Rapid rise and pace of changes created tremendous damage to environment and thus threatens the well being and life quality of Chinese people. First such evidence was released by Chinese government in April of 2014. After many years of investigation and delays, the report was published. According to Chinese, likely less strict, norms nearly 20% of all farmland in China is polluted, around 7% heavily polluted and 70% lightly polluted. The samples were taken taken from two-thirds of PRC's land area). The pollution was caused by heavy metals and chemicals, rather than organic elements.
In addition to industrial pollution short-sighted Chinese farmers contributed to soil contamination. At first farmers started using mini-greenhouses out of plastic bags laid on soil to extend growing season of their crops and thus raising yield. However, the rised temperature under the plastic covers provided more heat for pests, which grew even stronger and in such environment. In response to this Chinese farmers started using even more pesticide, which killed only some of the pests while the rest gradually become immune. As the result, Chinese farmers did not get rid of pests. They have created one of the strongest pests in the world and polluted their own farmland. All of the heavy metals have also soaked into rivers and streams spreading across many provinces.
It makes one think that maybe Chinese society has not quite been lifted out of poverty. Although many of people can afford to buy more food, clothes and electronics, it does leave a question of the quality of life. How it is different to not be able to afford food and to be able to afford only such kind of food that poses a great short-term threat to your health and well being? What is better being in poverty or live modestly with undrinkable water, polluted air and soil, that make you prematurely die?
This piece was inspired by lecture on "Feeding the Masses: An Anatomy of Regulatory Failure in China" by John Yasuda Assistant Professor at Indiana University.
For more informations on the topic and to view my sources please go to:
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/jun/04/china-villages-cancer-deaths
http://www.vice.com/read/photographs-of-chinas-cancer-villages
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/chinas-choice/2014/apr/18/china-one-fifth-farmland-soil-pollution
http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/guest-blog/soil-pollution-in-china-still-a-state-secret-infographic/
http://www.mep.gov.cn/gkml/hbb/qt/201404/t20140417_270670.htm
https://theintercept.com/2016/09/15/the-teflon-toxin-goes-to-china/?comments=1#comments
http://www.worldbank.org/en/country/china/overview
http://www.johnkyasuda.com/