China: 21st Century Cultural Changes Research Paper

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Parents are aware that the competitive economy combined with the pressure to succeed means they must push their children. Schools and teachers are also under tremendous pressure to perform. "Some schools link teacher pay to student test performance, and the pressure on teachers is intense" (Chang 2008:5).

However, despite the economic gains of recent years, there is also a profound sense that something has been lost of China's native culture. One recent editorial in the Chinese Communist Party's official newspaper stated that Chinese cultural development "lagged behind rising diplomatic and economic clout, reducing China's overall influence and exposing it to foreign dominance" (Boden 2011). The Party stated its desire to build up China's organic culture, rather than importing it from the West, which risks the possible tainting of the populace with western ideas. "It decried that Walt Disney Co.'s Mulan appropriated a Chinese legend that proved popular at the box office," and stated "a country that can only export television sets but not its ideas will never become a great power" (Boden 2011). However, Chinese fascination with popular Western culture, despite government censorship, is still evident, in consumer's media consumption habits.

The appetite for Western products continues unabated, despite the tisk-tisking of the party leadership.

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A "culture of corporate gift-giving for the purpose of building guanxi" has resulted in a brisk Chinese business for companies like Louis Vuitton, Gucci and Ferragamo and the former GM brand Hummer (The Chinese consumer, 2011, China Knowledge). If growth continues, China will become largest luxury market in the world in 2015. On the opposite end of the spectrum, Wal-Mart is also doing a brisk business (The Chinese consumer, 2011, China Knowledge).

But consumerism has not yet become as integral a part of 21st century China as it is in the United States. Many Chinese were frightened by the recent economic downturn, and have been 'hording' their funds as a result. One 2009 survey found that "45% were reducing their spending because of their concerns about the economy" and domestic savings in China " are equal to 48.6% of the country's economic output in 2007, vs. just 13.6% in the United States" and "Chinese household savings amounted to 24.7% of their disposable income, compared with the U.S.A.'s 0.7%" (Wiseman & Calum 2009). Thus while consumerism and upward mobility may be a part of the culture of 21st century China's surface, statistics suggest that changes are not as deep rooted as one might think.....

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