ANTHOLOGY

The Standard of Living in the People's Republic of China

FRANCIS SHIEH Prince George's Community College

The concept of GN~ is misleading when used to compare levels of living of different countries of the world for material gains because life- styles do vary according to culture and value. GNP per capita has no bearing on the basic needs of the people. China's remarkable achieve- ment is officially recognized by World Develop- ment Report of 1981. [Oxford University Press for The World Bank] The physical quality of life of the Chinese people is strikingly better than in most other low-income countries. Effort in human development is outstanding.

According to the State Statistical Bureau, consumption in China was equivalent to 224 Yuan [U.S. $1.00 = 1.7 Yuan in September 1981 ca.] on the average for every person in 1980. This was 99 percent more than in 1952 after deducting the rise in the cost of living index, representing an annual average increase of 2.5 percent.

Compared with 1952, each Chinese ate 8.2 percent more grain coming in 1980 (213.8 kilo- grams). The figures for vegetable oil were up 9.8 percent (2.3 kilograms); pork up 88.6 per- cent (11.15 kilograms); and sugar up 320 per- cent (3.85 kilograms).

In 1980, per capita cloth purchases (includ- ing chemical fabrics) exceeded the 1952 figure by 76 percent to reach 10 meters. Each urgan dweller bought 16.3 meters of cloth, up 21.9 percent and each peasant bought 8.6 meters, up 85.6 percent.

The 1980 standard of living included a total of 46 million sewing machines, averaging one for every two urban households and one for every 5.7 rural households; 96.17 million bi- cycles, averaging 1.2 for every urban house- hold and one for every three rural households; and 128 million wrist watches, averaging one

for two urban dwellers and one for every 17 peasants.

Hospitals throughout the country had a total of 1.98 million beds, averaging 2.02 for every 1,000 persons, as against 0.28 in 1952; and there were 1.17 doctors for every 1,000 persons, a 58 percent increase over 1952. Infant mortality de- clined from 139 per thousand in 1954 to 20 per thousand in 1980. Average life-span rose from 57 years in 1957 to 68 years in 1978 (67 for males, 69 for females).

There were 1.27 cinemas for every 10,000 people, 8.5 times the t957 figure; four copies of newspapers reached every 100 persons a day, a six-fold increase over 1952; and newly pub- lished books came to 4.67 copies a person, a 240 percent increase over 1952. China had 106 broadcasting stations, 38 central television sta- tions, and 246 television transmitting and relay stations. Radio programs could be heard through- out the rural areas and television service was available in most cities. There were 9.02 million television sets, averaging one for every 6.8 urban families and one for every 53 rural families.

Ninety-three percent of China's primary school-age children were studying, as against 49 percent in 1952; there were 578 middle school (high school) students for every 10,000 people, 10.5 times the 1952 figure; and 11.6 college students for every 10,000 people, a 250 percent increase over 1952 figure. There were also 661 scientific and technological per- sonnel for every 10,000 workers, a 150 percent increase over 1952.

The purchasing power of the Chinese cur- rency goes a long way in obtaining basic neces- sities, i.e., lodging, utility, food, transportation, and especially health care. Health service covers virtually all the population of 1 billion.

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