East Asia: Part 2
Water Issues in China
Flooding
Summer monsoons can cause catastrophic floods, and have throughout
Chinese history
Government built 120,000 miles of dikes, countless levees, dams
since 1949
These
failed in 1990s, killing thousands of rural dwellers
Human
activities that prevent absorption of water by soil (mining, logging, farming)
worsen floods
Drought
At least one part of China has drought every year
Leads either to crop kills or overuse of aquifers
There is a
chance North China wheat and corn (and cities) could completely dry aquifers,
threatening food security (and leading to plans to bring water from South);
Mongolia especially has very few water sources
Also, also
climate change hit Himalayas, the glaciers are disappearing leading to less dry
season water
1/3 of population does not have access to safe drinking water
(fertilizers, sewage, industrial chemicals biggest causes)
Environmental Issues
Concerns come from high population density, rapid economic
development and demand for food from degrading land, poor resource management,
and ineffective environmental planning.
China now competing with Russia for most severe environmental
problems on the planet
Could actually reverse increasing well being, as many harmful
chemicals are released from Chinas massive industrial complex
Although over the last 10 years, China has begun to take its
environmental impacts much more seriously with rapid growth in green buildings,
solar, and public transport
Air Pollution in China
Due to industrialization, energy use doubled in last quarter of 20th
century (now the highest emitter of greenhouse gases)
65% of energy comes from coal, this is problem
Coal mining in China is one of worlds most dangerous civilian
occupations, huge environmental impacts
Air equally bad in rural areas and cities in East
In NE, coal for heating, in SE coal is high sulfur
Auto pollution going to get worse
Beijing had
1/10 cars of LA, same pollution b/c of leaded gasoline (which they are phasing
out).
Three Gorges Dam
Largest engineering project in history ( 1.4 miles wide)
Makes Chiang Jiang navigable deep into China
Its reservoir is370 miles long, flooded 13 cities, 140 towns,
hundreds of villages, 1600 factories, 62,000 acres of farm land, archaeological
sites
Displaced 1.3 million people
Silt build up behind the dam will eventually make the electric
output miniscule
Is causing massive ecosystem change, potentially hurting giant
sturgeon
Could also be destroyed in an earthquake
Much international and internal opposition
World Bank even withdrew support; China went ahead anyway
Efforts to Improve Environmental
Health
A Green movement has emerged
Fed by a freer press, social media, higher education and literacy
rates
Push for environmental monitoring, cleanup
A system of
permits, incentives, and penalties is being imposed on industry and farming.
By government mandate, cars in China will now have as tough or
tougher mileage and emission standards than U.S. cars
Starting to look at water recycling/sewage processing for cities
Also are diverting rivers to major cities to stop aquifer tapping
River
diversion can lower the quality of water downstream, and destroy natural
biological habitats.
Environmental Issues Elsewhere in
East Asia
All countries are experiencing water and air pollution associated
with modern agriculture, industrialization, and urbanization.
Lots of fish (which is healthy to eat) in diets in the region; but
increasing consumption is putting pressure on fisheries worldwide.
North Korea
Flooding from deforestation
Crop failures related to environmental mismanagement have caused
thousands to die.
Mongolians had severe forest fires in 1990s.
Elsewhere, frequent, manageable rain helps purify environment
But auto, factory pollution still bad
Japan also can get tsunamis (as in 2011), volcanoes and
earthquakes requires strict building codes
Human Patterns Over Time
In East Asia, until the 20th century, China was the source of
wealth, culture, and technology for the region (as well as much of the world)
Not all areas were influenced equally by China
Chinese saw Mongolians as alien and uncivilized
Korea, Japan, and Taiwan were relatively isolated enough that they
developed distinct cultures
A Brief History of China
The Beginnings of Chinese Civilization
Feudal System 4000 ybp
Around 400 BC, the Qin dynasty emerges
Unifies
China under emperor
Broke up
feudal land, gave ownership to smaller farmers
Salaried
bureaucrats, often rising by merit, held much authority below emperor
More
responsible with levees, reservoirs, other public works
A Brief History of China
Confucianism
Began 2500 ybp, altered social, economic, and political geography
of East Asia
Confucius was an idealist, sought to reform government and stop
violence
Wanted a stable, uniform, enduring society
Thought all of society should be based on defined roles and mutual
obligations
Included
respect to parents and government officials, courtesy, loyalty, integrity, and
maintaining personal dignity
A Brief History of China
Led to a hierarchical, stable model based on patriarchal family
Emperor source of all culture and order
Elites often ignored their mutual obligations
Women were confined to domestic spaces and placed under the
authority of others.
Merchants sometimes suppressed because of their potential upward
mobility; when they were, progress stopped
In Southern
China, merchants allowed to be freer
China History
Chinas Preeminence
In the tenth century, farming improved, metallurgy flourished, and
innovation advanced (printing, paper money, gunpowder, improved rice strains)
Highest standard of living of any world region at the time
And for
several centuries, made them unlikely to trade externally, because few places
had goods they wanted.
Period includes Yuan (Mongol) Dynasty, and Ming Dynasty
Late Ming rulers favored elite interests at the expense of
ingenuity and change. Also thought they were height of civilization.
Left
ill-prepared to compete with European technology and military.
China History
European Imperialism in East Asia
In the mid-1500s, Spanish and Portuguese arrive with crops from
Americas, leads to population boom in China
Europe wanted silks and spices, access to Chinas vast market
British found the one good Chinese would buy: Opium for South Asia
Leads to mid 19th century Opium wars, where China tries
to stop Britain from selling opium there
Brits,
Yanks & Euros win, get trade rights in coastal cities
Britain
also gets Hong Kong
Decline ensues, Japan becomes the regional power in the 20th
century
Includes brutal taking of the mainland in WWII era
China History
Chinas Turbulent Twentieth Century
With Qing dynasty collapsing, many parties compete for control
Two largest
Socialist Nationalist party (Kuomintang or KMT)
Led by
Chiang Kai-shek, supported by urban upper and middle classes
Chinese Communist party (CCP)
Led by Mao
Zedong, appealed to rural laborers.
United against Japan in WWII, fight again after
The KMT supported by U.S., but numerically smaller
Pushed out by the CCP, supporters fled to Taiwan, establish
government in exile
China History
Communist Rule
The CCP assumed control over the economy and brutally occupied
Tibet (Xizang)
Mao acts like emperor with unquestioned authority.
Led to the reallocation of land and wealth, public works projects,
and new opportunities for women.
Those who survived better off than before revolution; famine ended
in 1970s
BUT, there were enormous human and environmental costs
Great Leap Forward contained many ill-advised development projects
Cultural Revolution saw educated urbanites killed, sent to
country or prison
Deng Xiaoping liberalizes Chinas economy while maintaining
communist political control.
Japan, Korea, Mongolia
Japan
By A.D. 300, Japan was divided into military clans
Ideas and material culture were imported until about A.D. 800,
when Japan turned inward and established a feudal system with a rigid class
structure.
From 1596-1868 Shogun (elite military rulers) take control from
Emperor, move capital to Edo (Tokyo).
1868, Shogun lose power to Meiji Oligarchs who begin aggressive
program of modernization and industrial development in name of Emperor
Take all of
Honshu and Hokkaido
In run up to WWII, take Korea, Taiwan, Manchuria, Inner Mongolia,
SE Asia
Post WWII, U.S. put in a democratic constitution which forbids a
military
Korea traditionally a united but largely agrarian society (divided
by Cold War); Mongolia long home of herders.
Economic and Political Issues
After World War II,
Communist regimes of China, Mongolia, and North Korea relied on
central planning
China, Mongolia have gone through market reforms, though state
sector in China still significant
Japan, Taiwan, and South Korea established state-aided market
economies, where there was private enterprise that received tremendous
state support and expertise, that focused heavily on exports.
Pattern pioneered in Japan
Government arranges loans, stops domestic and international
competition, provides production advice, encourages export
One of these advancements was kaizen system
»
Parts manufacturers located next to assembly, allows just in
time production (no warehouses, catch problems early, share innovation)
Economic and Political Issues
Recession
In 1990s, Japans growth rate went flat
Linked to bad investments, loss of purchasing power in SE Asia
Production was over-expanded
Struggling companies given loans, eventually banks and companies
went under
Korea and Taiwan same thing, less extensive.
Pressure for performance based wages, women in the workforce,
aging population, Chinas improved prowess all issues
Communist Economy
The Command Economy
Changes sweeping, results less than hoped
The Commune System
Post WWII, land was taken out of the hands of landlords and given
to landless farmers.
This proved inefficient, farmers were put into cooperatives to
share labor and pool resources, communes
Commune leaders lied about production levels, farmers worked more
on infrastructure than farming, led to famine in 58-61
Communist Economy
Focus on Heavy Industry
Iron, Steel, Infrastructure Equipment emphasized over consumer
goods
Money came from agriculture sector funds, reselling of food
Factory workers guaranteed job for life, but only enough salary to
get bare essentials
Regional Self Sufficiency
To even out regional disparities, each region was supposed to get
own industrial, agriculture, service sector
Done regardless of practicality
Stopped gaining of economies of scale
Big waste of money, resources
Communist Economy
Globalization and Market Reforms in China
In the late 1970s, China pursued a more efficient and
market-oriented economy
Allowed
Localized economic decision making
Farmers and small businesses allowed to sell goods in markets
Improved
food supply and distribution
Regional Specialization
Eventually allowed foreign investment
Now is worlds factory, home to a market of 1 billion people
Communist Economy
The Reforms in Overview
Responsibility systems gave managers of state-owned
enterprises the right and responsibility to improve the efficiency of their
operations.
Led to coasts specializing in export manufacture, interior on ag
and mining
Agriculture has changed
Responsibility systems also used in agriculture, allowing farming
households to choose their crops
More food used to feed animals
More fruits grown for export; more grain imported
Changes in food security include 1) more land being
unsustainably farmed 2) increasing purchasing power means foreign food can make
up local shortfalls
Communist Economies
A Market Focus for Rural Enterprises
Entrepreneurial rural enterprises, some of which are old communes,
have grown and become the mainstay of many rural economies.
Now Ό of economy, more employees than government, 40% of exports
Many are outside the eye of government; environmental pollution
and corruption are rampant
Regional Inequality is Rising
GDP per capita on the rise, but cities are getting more of that
than rural areas
People are leaving provinces without coast, agriculture potential
and mining