Document Abstract
Published:
2008
Women migrant workers under the Chinese social apartheid
Are Chinese women migrant workers fighting back against social discrimination?
This report assesses the impact of the capitalist reforms since the 1990’s in China’s one-party system. It particularly focuses on the experiences of women rural migrant workers and looks at how the women workers have responded to these reforms.
The authors argue that the combined results of the repressive regime have given rise to a kind of spatial and social system which systematically discriminates against the rural population, with women being the most oppressed. Recently, however, women workers have been increasingly striving to make their grievances heard.
Key concluding points include:
The authors argue that the combined results of the repressive regime have given rise to a kind of spatial and social system which systematically discriminates against the rural population, with women being the most oppressed. Recently, however, women workers have been increasingly striving to make their grievances heard.
Key concluding points include:
- even if they are small in number, women migrant workers can play a leading role in labour activism
- this activism will change the mentality of at least a portion of intellectuals and students
- acting within the laws in a country where the rule of law for practical purposes does not exist is not necessarily effective even in the medium term
- in today’s China, the promotion of elementary labour education still benefits common migrant workers.
