China's young college grads toil in 'ant tribes'

[Peacetrain]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100627/ap_on_re_as/as_china_ant_tribes


The dreams of many young educated Chinese are running up against the realities of China's rapid economic ascent. Rising living costs and low salaries — the result of a surfeit of university graduates — are dashing high expectations.

"I didn't want to be stuck in a small town forever, you know, like the frog in the well," says Liu, who comes from a coal city in the often frozen far north. "I dreamed of achieving success on my own terms in the big city."

One day he may. For now, Liu has joined the "ant tribe" — the millions of young Chinese so known for crowding together in slums in China's largest cities.

[Jkid]

1. If rising living costs is the problem, why not insitute a living wage in China? (nt)

[Peacetrain]

2. Good question... but they are a closed society.. and it is dictatorship by committee

[Jkid]

3. How is China a "closed society"? (nt)

[hack89]

4. They prefer under-employment to unemployment

a living wage will simple put a bunch of people out of work - Chinese capitalist are no different from ours.