Entitled "Flow in Contemporary Chinese Society", a heavyweight report released on July 28 by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) caused wide concern. The report pointed out that in the coming eight to ten years, China will witness a leap in its professionalism level, a huge expansion of middle classes and sharp reduction of agricultural workers. The Chinese society is marching toward an open one.

Lu Xueyi, a CASS research fellow who led the research team, received an interview on this report.

Q: what's the most important discovery of this report?

A: That is, the current social strata structure cannot meet the demand of the development of socialist modernization. It is only an embryonic form of "modernization". Some strata need shrinking and some others should be expanded.

Children of lower strata face bigger barriers to higher ones, and social resources gather towards higher classes

Q: "Social flow" refers to social members shifting from one social position to another, and what are the trends of social flow in today's China?

A: Our latest report revealed that among the current ten major strata, some still need to be reduced in scale (agricultural workers still account for 44 percent) while others enlarged (middle classes only stand for 15 percent). While children of those in the lower part of the social ladder are facing bigger barriers on their way into higher orders, and the society's economic, organizing and cultural resources are gathering towards upper classes.

These trends will cast a negative impact on the forming of a just, rational and open social flow pattern and strata structure, which are not conform with the socialist modernization process and are likely to trigger off social crisis.

Q: Why the social strata failed to enlarge or reduce?

A: One of the most important reasons is blocked social flow channels.

System barriers left over from the planned economy period-such as rigid systems in residency, employment, personnel and social security-are blocking people flowing to higher social positions, and a just, rational and open modernized pattern of social flow has not been formed.

Q: Since the reform and opening up two decades ago, according to what principles did China's social flow realize?

A: Before the opening up, social status are chiefly born. While after it the social orders were broken, with postnatal elements, such as individual efforts, gradually dominating the social flow system.

Q: There is an important conclusion in your report-the professionalism level of the Chinese society is going higher, could you explain it?

A: Since 1978, China's professional structure has been improving. Compared with 1992, in 2000 the proportion of lower-layer employees (industrial and agricultural workers) had dropped by 8.17 percent, while that for middle classes increased 7.2 percent. For 18 years employees engaged in medium and higher level professions have been increasing, forming the trend of "moving up".

By People's Daily Online