Jenny Brooks
February 10, 2011
ES 410
Abstract
The purpose of this paper is to express the influence of China’s Communist Regime on the countries engineers. This article includes how the social and economical positions of engineers has changed during this specific time period. It also expresses the motives behind the engineers shift and if the public pressure to move away from a Confuciust ideal is included. This paper describes the status of engineers as a working and contributing member of the country as they express their national commitment through their employment. However, it discusses the conflicting ideas of working for a Soviet modeled government in a profession that values individualism. It will also include a brief history of engineering in Chinese education, how it has contributed to the leaders of the country and how the curriculum has changed with the transformation of the government. The essay ends with a brief prediction of the new generation of leaders moving away from such a technocratic role within the government.
Annotated Bibliography
Clark, C. (1976). Economic Development in Communist China. The Journal of Political
Economy, 84(2), 239-264.
Clark gives an overview of the economic development in Communist China starting in the 1930’s. He incorporates such examples as the “The Year of the Great Leap Forward” in 1958, the Cultural Revolution of 1966-67, famine conditions in 1959, and the overall global comparison of China’s growth production. All these aspects are vital to understand the current economic standing of China and the importance of its different positions. By having a better understanding of the history of China’s economic development, it will be easier to understand the role of engineers and how they have contributed over the years. If they have been an active part of progress or if they have created another obstacle for forward motion, or in some cases they may gave had a role in both of these positions.
Jin, X., & Porter, A. (1988). Technological Innovation and Development: Prospect for China.
IEEE Transaction on Engineering Management, 35(4), 258-264.
Authors Xiao-Yin Jin and Alan L. Porter express how a dramatic expansion in China’s economy is attainable in the near future through the countries advancement in technology development. Contributing factors to this prediction include China’s leadership commitment to technology and their large internal market that relies on technology-based products. However, Jin and Porter discuss the main obstacle is “whether this neotraditionalist movement could yet be countered by a traditionalist Marxist resurgence” (263). Jin and Porter suggest that altering eleven factors in this “technology-based economic development” this expansion will be possible (258). These eleven factors that require adjustment include: long term economic trends; markets; competition; national policies in support for innovation; technical resources; capital availability; organization for innovation; management; support staffing; reward structures; communication mechanisms. This article will be supportive information to understand the economic standing of China during this time period. It also provides information about specific areas that require reform for China to obtain a globally competitive economy. The article describes how the position of engineers needs to be valued as a separate profession, and what role engineers play within the evolving technology.
Pechter, Kerry. (1997). ‘Handover' brings hope to China's EEs. Electronic Engineering Times,
960, 1-2.
Kerry Pechter describes how the return of Hong Kong to China will improve the standard of living of engineers in the People’s Republic. Through the increase of “US high-tech companies,” more engineers have been hired to fill the needed positions, increasing the demand for engineer specialists. This high demand for engineers at these companies is taking away from the traditional post in “an inefficient state-run company for a salary of $100 a month” (1). These large corporations offer around 10 times an engineer’s normal pay. This article describes the conflict that engineers are being addressed with by the progress of technology. This type of development can be observed as threatening to the Communist Party’ control and goes against the traditional Soviet model that “does not encourage [personal] excellence” (2). Pechter’s article will provide helpful information about the internal struggle that engineers are faced with when it comes to their national commitment or earning enough to provide for their family. The article also gives a brief description of the traditional curriculum of engineering in Chinese education and how it was redesigned during the growth of the Soviet government.
Suttmeier, R. P. (2007). China: a nation ruled by engineers. New Scientist, 196(2629), 71-73.
Richard Suttmeier examines how contemporary China “is a nation led by technocrats” and the current generation of leaders are mostly trained in science and engineering from the countries leading Universities (71). Suttmeier compares the science based education of members in the National Congress of Communist Party of China to the west, where lawyers dominate the political scene. He describes how technocrats came to fill leadership positions after a “century of frustrated attempts to build modern scientific and technological capabilities in China” (71). In addition, a brief history of the devision in engineering education during the Cultural Revolution and the tension between peasant nationalism and science and technological development. Suttmeier finishes the essay by describing how the 21st century’s generation of Chinese leaders will be extremely different and spend more time finding ways to benefit the country through the “long-neglected fields” of social science and humanities (73). Through the description of the progression of engineer education into leadership positions, this article describes the valued position engineers play in China. It will also reflect the goals of China’s Communist government through its biased education system and how it has created educational segregation for the peasants of China.
Yan, Y. (2010). The Chinese Path to Individualization. The British Journal of Sociology, 61(3),
489-512.
Yunxiang Yan analyzes the rise of the individual and individualization of society during the Maosim era of China. Yan states that ironically “collectivist programs of social engineering and socialist path of modernization....resulted in a partial individualization of Chinese society” (489). Within this era that lasted three decades, Yan has been able to recognize both similarities and differences between China and Western Europe in the process of individualization. Yan summarizes how China is characterized by the image of a state which does not encourage cultural democracy, classic individualism or political liberalism. However, the overall progress within the technology driven economy has put a “greater emphasis on individual responsibility and self-reliance” (510). This article describes the conflicting impression the Communist government has presented among its professional people, especially ones within the engineering field. Yan’s article will also be a reference to how the development of the countries technological advancements has implicated a contradicting image of progress and individualism to the people of China.
Jenny, these are good sources. I am a bit concerned that your project is still too large in scope and time period. Some of what you have been reading may shift to the background as you develop a focus on a more specific argument - and that will be completely appropriate.
ReplyDeleteIn your abstract, you suggest that engineering is a profession that values individualism - that may be an idea to investigate, rather than assume in all contexts across all time periods.
For example, when we talked, I mentioned the idea of the re-emergence of Confucianism in China. During the Cultural Revolution, Confucianism was seen as "backwards" and needing to be eradicated. Today, even the Chinese gov't is apparently embracing it. How would a model of engineering based on Confucian values be different from one based on individualism (U.S.-style liberalism)? It is not just a choice between Soviet-style vs. U.S.-style, but a new specifically Chinese model of "modern" engineering (which perhaps values the community over individual but is not based on centralized state control)?
China's New Confucianism: Politics and Everyday life in a Changing Society - Daniel Bell (2008)
http://press.princeton.edu/titles/8611.html
Confucius Resurrected in China (2008)
http://www.grinnell.edu/car/communication/magazine/extras/confuicius
I also wonder how Confucianism might be informing the particular way in which China is seeking to become more sustainable? Would Confucianism be a good base from which to make the case for sustainability elsewhere?
The shape of cities to come will follow new technology (2011)
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/usa/2011-01/03/content_11787685.htm
This topic is incredibly interesting and current. With China beginning to industrialize at a rate unseen in modern times, an insight into how their engineering culture operates would shed light onto how they are accomplishing this. I recently finished the book "The Ghost of the Executed Engineer" and would like to see what, if any lessons that China has learned from the failed Soviet practices? Can you give examples of certain projects in which their engineering practices, positive or negative, can be showcased? How has the recent introduction of foreign capital and investment affected the type and quality of engineering education in the nation?
ReplyDeleteOne of my favorite aspects about the Soviet concentration of engineering was how technocratic and focused in math and science the profession became. Their lack of consideration of the human aspect of engineering ultimately led to the downfall of the state. Did China see the error in this and educate their engineers to be more grounded in social and economic aspects? Because the proletariat makes all the decisions, can engineers speak up if they disagree with their supervisors, or do they become enemies of the state? I am also curious about the social status of the engineers on China. Does their managerial status make them more important than the workers, how does that jive with the communist theme of everybody being equal?
Very interesting topic! The topics covered in your abstract seem very informative. It would also be nice to include how China's engineering practices and technological advances have helped build and shape its economy. While doing research on my project I came across an article that discussed how around 40% of China's population will be over 65 years old in the next 10 years -- It went into detail about how engineering will have to change due to the age of a significant amount of the population. This might be another interesting avenue to cover in your paper. How will this demographic change effect engineers, engineering education and engineering practices? Also, why is individualism so important? Is it because China wanted a drastic shift from communism? What other influences helped push China in this direction?
ReplyDeleteIt would also be interesting to see you incorporate ideas if and how Chinese engineering has influenced and been influenced by U.S. engineering practices. Also how has Japanese engineering impacted Chinese engineering practices and education?