Basic HTML Version
January
1971
communes. The family ís stíll a pow–
erfuJ force and one the Chinese Com–
munísts have not yet eliminated.
China's Poverty
The second major problem faced by
Communist China today is her poverty.
China is cconomically poor. In spite of
great stridcs forward, this gigantic
nation has an incredibly low standard
of living.
Arcordtn~
to reports, China's p<.:r–
capita income has doubled in the past
twenty years, but it is still only $100 a
year
lower than most any othcr
major poor nation! Clothing ís expen–
síve and difficult to obtain - material
often rationed.
Communists
hewe
eliminated abject
famine
somcthing Chinese have put
up with for ccnturies. food production
incrcased over
7S'f;
the past 20 ycars
whilc the population grew only about
40'
(
.
Nevertheless, China still must
import large quantities of foodstuffs,
especially grains from Canada and Aus–
tralia. Perhaps the greatest problem
with food would be the inability of thc
poor to purchase .
proper
food
for a
well-balanced diet.
Eronomicflll)',
therefore, all-out war
is still out of the question for sorne
years to come. Even if China should
attempt a conquest, she could not get
far for want of supplies and equipment.
Industrially Weak China
A third wcakness is China's lack of
modero industrial strength. This, of
course, does not mean China's industry
is not showing sorne improvement. Steel
production has grown
(12
millions of
metric tons were produced in 1968)
and coa! production increased dramati–
cally in thc past twenty years. A pctro–
chemical industry is devdoping and
Topl
Btes.son-Mognvm
Pho'o
Bottom, Wide World Phoro
REVOLUTION IN CHINA -
Top
photo shows backyard smelting
ovens, instituted during "Greot
Leap Forward." This program os
well as loter "Cultural Revofution"
was a disaster economically. Bol–
Iom photo - Members of Com–
munist China's Red Guord demon–
strote in Peking dur ing Cultural
Revofution.