Labor and Welfare in China

Early History

In an overall sense, China’s ancient history can be broken into three parts: the pre-imperial era, early imperial era, and the late imperial era. The pre-imperial era is marked by Chinese cultural and civilization forming. The practice of agriculture began during this period in 10,000 BCE and has since been an important labor source in China. The bronze and silk markets came to be around 1600 BCE and a large amount of labor was employed at the foundries and workshops.

At the end of the 2^nd century BCE, China’s feudal system began to fall apart under the pressures of an emerging merchant class. There was a labor shift from agriculture, due to a surplus, to artisanship and merchants. During this time a large amount of public works were completed, like the building of the Great Wall of China. The Song Dynasty (960 – 1279 CE) ushered in economic change and technological advancement. The use of paper money began, literacy increased, and state economic control was lessened. The late imperial era is marked by an increased Western interest in Chinese goods. The tea, silk, and ceramic markets were of particular interest to Western cliental because of their “exotic” or “Oriental” nature.

The People’s Republic of China

Since the Communist takeover of China in 1949 by Moa Zedong and his supporters, the labor force of China has been under the control of the state. There were many modern military productions during the early stages of the People’s Republic; nuclear weapons, delivery systems, and satellites were manufactured. The 1980s were marked by China being the world’s largest producer of fuel, most notably in the hydroelectric sector. After increasing social unrest during the 1970s and 1980s, China saw another wave of economic reform that ended in a decentralizing of economic authority and an opening of China’s boarders to free-trade.

Welfare

In the People’s Republic of China, the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security is in charge of the social welfare system. From the beginning of China’s socialist state in the late 1940s to the 1980s, the state was the sole provider for the citizens’ needs from birth to death. Everything from childcare to housing to job placement was state-owned and operated. Through economic reforms starting in the late 1970s, the welfare system has become decentralized plus more labor-conscious programs have been put in place such as unemployment insurance, worker’s compensation, and maternity benefits.