Donald Johnson China Rethinks Urbanization Analysis

Evaluating Donald Johnson’s “China Rethinks Urbanization” The fast pasted, and overpopulated region of China is coming face to face with a problem that it may not be able to overcome unless serious implications are put into place within the near future. The problem that is arising, is some 100 million new residents are expected settle in the region by the year 2020. With such great numbers looking to move into the already dense area, if there is not adequate room to sustain a higher population, China may reach its tipping point and begin to deteriorate quickly. When an area is too overcrowded, the living conditions become very poor, and with such living conditions an economy will suffer as well. With such a problem arising, the discussion

A great deal of attention must be focused toward these three significant areas or China may soon see a dramatic downfall. Undoubtedly, one of the major issues amongst residents of China is labor mobility which is limited by the hukou system of household registration. As Donald Johnson’s article “China Rethinks Urbanization” points out as being a downfall to rural residents looking to relocate, is the inability to register for health insurance or social security, and the blockades surrounding registering their children in local schools because of their residency staying in the countryside. With such limitations being put in place, these newfound residents are put at a disadvantage and often “They end up being “guest workers” in their own country… and they are not full participants in the urban economy” (Johnson, November 2014). Due to these

The Chinese government stands at an unusual place because there is no property tax throughout the region. As this may be beneficial to some home and land owners, the downfall is that the government is able to use this as a means of acquiring lands and financing future development even if the landowner may not give his or her consent. The plots are able to be bought at agricultural low prices, and then sold for a major profit by dividing them out in large chunks to developers as urban land (Johnson, November 2014). One main problem that arises here, is that when these plots of land are bought out and used in hopes of making a more “urban” environment, the new areas are often outside of true urbanized areas and lack the interconnectedness needed for economic success. This in turn drives people out of the area and into a more centralized urban location which may not have the capacity to allow any more residents to live comfortably and sustainably. Again, this will cause a lowering in the quality of life that one is able to live. With the expectation of large numbers migrating into these urban areas, and in order to avoid spending a large sum on making progressive changes, China will need to move in gradual increments rather than a sudden boom of expansion that would cost an outrageous sum of