CHINA: Chinese most contented people in the world

BEIJING, China (UPI Asia), July 30, 2008: By S. L. Shen, UPI Correspondent The Chinese are the most satisfied people in the world with regard to the direction their country is going and its economy, according to a Pew Research Center survey released last week. Among 24 countries surveyed, China ranked top for contentment, with 86 percent of respondents saying they were satisfied with “the way things are going in their country” and 82 percent happy with the economy. The Washington-based research center interviewed 3,212 Chinese citizens from eight cities and rural areas in eight provinces between March 28 and April 19 – one month ahead of the earthquake that struck the country in May. The areas represented 42 percent of China’s adult population, the researchers said. The results of this survey were widely reported in China, in state-run media and elsewhere. Online, however, many netizens said these “facts” did not reflect their own reality. Most Chinese citizens polled said they were content with their family lives, jobs and income. According to the survey, 81 percent of respondents said they were at least “somewhat satisfied” with their family lives, 64 percent were satisfied with their jobs and 58 percent with their family income. But the report noted that these figures were not especially high by global standards. The data suggest the Chinese may be struggling with the impact of economic growth, the report said, reflected in the concerns people expressed over inflation, economic inequality, corruption and environmental degradation. The biggest worry was rising prices, with 96 percent of the people surveyed citing this as a big problem. Although as many as 70 percent of the respondents said the market economy had improved their quality of life, it has also increased the gap between rich and poor. This gap was considered a major problem by 89 percent of the people, with 41 percent describing it as a “very big” problem. Of particular interest is the finding that 62 percent of the Chinese respondents felt that success in life was determined by outside factors rather than by their own effort. Only 33 percent of the people believed personal effort was the most significant factor leading to success. While the economy is growing, corruption is also growing – so much so that 78 percent cited “corrupt officials” as a considerable problem, while 61 percent felt that “corrupt business people” were also a major concern. Economic growth has also brought environmental degradation; 74 percent and 66 percent of the respondents considered air pollution and water pollution, respectively, as big problems. Eighty percent of the people said environmental protection should be a priority of the government. More than half the people expressed concerns over unemployment, conditions for workers, social security and healthcare. Less than half were worried about the safety of their food and medicine, however – despite concerns in other countries over China’s exports. Chinese perceptions of how they are viewed in the world proved to be more optimistic than the reality, however. Fifty-five percent believed that China’s economy is having a positive impact in the world, and 83 percent think the Chinese government considers other countries’ interests. But only 30 percent of respondents to the same question in other countries hold the same view. Fully 77 percent of the respondents believed that people in other countries had a favorable view of them. But among 23 other countries where the survey was conducted, only seven showed a majority feeling optimistic about China. Moreover, 58 percent of the Chinese respondents believe that China has replaced or will replace the United States as the world’s guiding superpower -- 43 percent of respondents from the other 23 countries agreed. Compared to previous surveys, the 2008 poll shows the Chinese people are more confident with the state’s development, economy and international status. However, some of the results appear contradictory. For example, even though the majority said they were content with the country’s administration and development, a similar majority expressed strong dissatisfaction with social conditions, such as economic inequality and corruption. Online responses to the survey were more negative. One netizen credited China’s Education Ministry and Central Propaganda Department for making the people believe in “China’s rise.” “In a few more years, we will be claiming we’re the happiest in the world, just like the people in North Korea,” he wrote. “I feel like smashing the computer if the ‘national contentment’ thing is mentioned again,” one angry netizen wrote. “The people can hardly make a living. I have no clue where their so-called satisfaction comes from.” Another netizen commented that the survey results, including the contradictory responses, were not at all unexpected. In his view those who took the survey were not foolish, but were merely following the Chinese tradition of not washing their dirty linen in public. In the end, the researchers concluded that Chinese levels of satisfaction were positively related to their educational and income levels, and also to age. Those who were happiest were the young and the elderly, while those of middle age were the least content with their lives. Copyright © 2007-2008 United Press International, Inc.