Ch. 5

The way I see it, China doesn’t really care about the environment, they just want the resources they require to manufacture goods to make money.   They have gone through most of their own resources, so they now have to relay on other countries to supply them, mostly oil and timber.  One thing that Dodson failed to mention is once China feels that it is equal to western countries if it will start to enforce strict environmental laws or if it will continue creating as much pollution as is currently.  Also, something I was wondering is if they would even get to the point of economical achievement they are reaching towards before, as Dodson puts it, a significant number of canaries in the coal mine dies.  In past chapters the numbers of people who have already died from environmental issues in China.  Then in this chapter there were many statistics about how much China’s environment is changing each year.  So they must be able to create a reasonable prediction on when China will reach it’s breaking point and of how many of their people will die before it will reach that point.  But I think the points the Dodson does mention can be applied to the US as well.  Whenever countries’ ranks in consumption of resources are mentioned the US is either second, after China, or first.  The US needs to learn the difference in need and want when it comes to consumption of resources, because the US also has the appetite of a dragon when it comes to nonrenewable resources.        

Chapter 5 Response

I find that China is struggling to get on a steady pathway in regards to natural resources and energy needs. It appears that whenever they find a natural resource to harvest and manufacture, it does not last forever. China makes up nearly twenty of the population, but they are quickly loosing land that is harvestable in their country. They are also relying heavily on other countries to supply their need for resources such as oil. It appears, as Dodson mentioned at the end of the chapter, that China is striving to live the lifestyle many Americans do. However, if China and India get on that same path we will all be using up way more than we can safely and sensibly supply in the world. An error in Dodson's prediction of China's future may be that he can not be certain of where their government and economy are headed. A shift in the way their society is set up could create a shift in employment and manufacturing which could change where they stand as a country of importing and exporting resources. Perhaps he could consider the human psychology aspect of the change happening in the China. While the country as a whole seems to be moving towards desiring an "affluent life" from an economic or capitalist standpoint, it can really be viewed as being rooted in a human desire to be equal with their western counterparts and the human want for abundance in ones life. I don't know if this factor is important in a statistical way of explaining the situation in China. However, I think it is definitely something to consider in explaining why China's future looks like it does. I think Dodson's reasoning does apply to the United States. Dodson stated at the end of the chapter that "China risks reliving its cycle of decline as natural resources within its boarders and around the world dwindle and societies require ever ore energy to maintain their complexity". Globally, there is a desire to become more complex and as our needs grow as a society we inevitably use up more of our resources. Where they stand now I think the future will be the same for China unless there is a major revolution in they way they run their government, however, one could say the same thing about the U.S. While we may be a seemingly affluent society, there are still major issues that we face as a country, even if they are not similar to those in China.

Chapter 5 Response

   For the most part, I feel indifferent in my response to China’s natural resources and energy needs. It is something that greatly affects countries everywhere, yet I didn’t find myself connecting to this portion of the chapter like I did with others. I can say that it is incredible the impact China’s consumption and energy source does impact our way of life in the United States as well. I agree with Dodson predicting China’s future, I didn’t see anything wrong with his claim. If I were describing China’s future, my analysis would have probably fallen under the same lines. The only thing that comes to mind that is not necessarily taken into consideration is the possible chance China could have to prosper or improve the bad habit they have of overusing all of their resources. Dodson’s reasoning definitely applies to the U.S. as well. With the idea of modernization, countries like the U.S have also joined the bandwagon of using up too many resources. The U.S. also risks living a cycle of decline within these resources.  The rate in which the United States uses these means may not be as great as China due to the population difference, but if the rate isn’t limited or kept in check it may very well result in “a disaster that is avoidable”. I don’t think the U.S. will ever be the same as China just because it is such a big difference of numbers, but it is very likely that if the U.S. continues to prosper, its future will be very similar to China’s. 

ch 3 and 4 Dodson

Chapter 3

In Dodson's words it seems that the Chinese government will do anything to keep their people where they want them. They arrange property transfer in a way that is in no way beneficial to the resident but it works for the government. With Dodson's description of "Hukou" specifically, it is apparent that the government was acting from a place of fear, and that is the fear of failure. Dodson writes that "the central government could keep one of the greatest variables--and therefore risk of failure-- of central planning fixed; that is, the movements of the Chinese population". Dodson goes on to talk about how the planning of towns and cities was intentional in "rebuilding the country in the socialist mold". I responded to this reading in shock especially due to the immense loss of earned opportunities that Dodson described. People were taken away from their homes, work and schooling. I cannot imagine someone coming in and removing me from the life that I have worked towards. What if the government had the power to strip me of the education my Mother and I have strived for me to have? In these times, the uncertainty that the Chinese people have to live with undoubtedly adds to the stress the experience, as explored by Dodson in earlier chapters.

Chapter 4

Aside from the mention of "cancer villages" where family is the core value in surviving, I found the mention of "mass hysteria" to be uniquely compelling. it was compelling to me in how overtly twisted it was. Twelve hundred employees had all fallen extremely ill, having convulsions and vomiting but "public health experts from Beijing agreed with the doctors, business executives, and local government officials that staff reactions were the result of mass hysteria". Dodson also writes that medical tests did not show any poisoning to occur. I wonder how doctors, people who are supposed to be truthful and healing were manipulated into blatantly lying to patients. It makes you wonder how deep the corruption really runs in China, and really anywhere in the world. It seems that business and money rule everything, even down to a persons health and safety. The employee described at the "Connell operations" took her job back or else she would not have had continued medical treatment. I wonder if the twelve hundred employees who fell ill in any way really believed that their situation was "mass hysteria" when they were obviously physically ill. The fact that they did not really have the opportunity to take a serious stand against the conditions they work in is I feel what sets China apart from say, the U.S. If what happened in the Connell operations happened in the states it would have caused a major uproar and I think that fact is what is the most compelling to me. We are all human and we all become ill at times, we all fight to live. What makes our lives in America any more valuable that the billions of lives in China? 

responding to Chapter 5 on China

How do you respond to the analysis of China's natural resources and energy needs in Chapter 5?  Do you see any possible errors in the way Dodson moves toward predicting China's future?  Do you think there might be something he's not considering in his analysis?  What might that be?  How important is that missing factor? Does Dodson's reasoning also apply to the U.S.?  How is the future likely to be different for the U.S. or why will it be the same as for China?  250-350 words

ch 3 &4

According to Dodson in chapter 3, the Chinese who reside in the countryside are being forced out of their homes in order for the government to build on parts of their land and so they can better the economy by working in the factories. Although these actions can be justified by the idea that the government has real ownership of the land, all the country dwellers end up being left with a lot less money then they came with considering all the money that they have invested in their land. The government uses the hukou system, forcing Chinese to obtain these living permits, so that the government can control how long they can live in certain areas and if they are allowed to migrate. I think this system is really bizarre and corrupt. In talking to a 50-year old man, Dodson compares the current situation to how China used to be when it was communist and everyone was equally rich. I think China was better off in communism than it is with all the sneaky government rules and regulations. I think the government wants to stimulate the economy and catch up with countries like the United States, but I think they could find better ways to do so, like maybe spreading out factories and giving the people more options of where to  live.

I find it repulsing that the Chinese not only allow so many toxins in their ecosystem, but also allow their people to work amidst those toxins. They are convincing their people that the toxins they are spreading are beneficial enough to continue releasing them, and the people agree! It’s insane. I feel like the government creates production and success in such a way that it is seen as a greater importance than the health of the community and the rest of the country. I think introducing sustainability to China is necessary at this point. If it’s not stopped now, the outbreaks of hysteria and even death are sure to keep multiplying. Dodson claims that the government officials simply “do not want to be bothered with the complaints of illnesses” because they are being bribed by the factories to stay open. This gives me an even more corrupt insight on the government of China. It makes me think twice about all of the products we use in America that are made in China. I feel like I’m supporting the deaths of millions of workers and urbanites who live around factories in order to pay less for the products I receive.

Chapters 3 & 4

Chapter 4 Response

According to Bill Dodson, property transfer in China is a factor that greatly limits the economic and social growth of China’s culture. Dodson goes on throughout the chapter describing the stories of urbanites and country folk and how unequal the opportunities for success are for both groups. Page 49 describes Dodson’s conversation with a man in his mid-fifties. Dodson wanted to know the difference in equality throughout the years; the man clearly stated the shift that occurred because of the government’s control over living conditions. This part of the book gave me an insight on how things did not progress in China, but they got worse for individuals. I greatly agree with a lot of what Dodson concludes in this chapter. Due to the hukou, it has caused a generation to completely loose the chance in receiving an education because of their current location. With China having such a massive population, I would think the government would endorse policies that would allow all aspects of the country to grow instead of limiting them.  Dodson also mentioned that the hukou systems caused society to “tolerate inequalities” between social classes. This unfortunately is a big issue that will not allow individuals to have the ability to work hard for their success. 

Chapter 4 Response

China’s desire to be the most advanced country has become too extreme in my opinion. Not only do they control most of their society’s freedom, but also they are careless in the process of gaining power. The most compelling piece of information related to pollution is the harm that China is causing to their country as well as neighboring countries. I thought this was the most compelling because the US is so careful in maintaining health regulations when it involves the safety of individuals; it is hard to think that China being such a populous and leading nation chooses to place masses of people in danger. Unfortunately, the public doesn’t have much power in influencing the government about improving pollution. Page 68 illustrates the unimportance China place on the voice of the people. After complaints of illnesses caused by The Jilin Connell Chemical Plant, the company supposedly took care of the situation for a few hours, but surely ignored the request of the people. Reading this incident shows just how the government deals with similar situations. It does not make sense to me how a country that stresses advancement so much cares so little about the very people that make up whom they are as a country. I could understand why individuals in a society may be uncomfortable with the idea of building factories near homes and businesses, but when it becomes a problem that can be traced and recorded as a statistic, the government should be more aware about the health problems heir choices are causing.