syo
April 23rd, 2010, 08:31 AM
This is a continuation of the unintentionally hijacked "I may never buy a used guitar again... " thread started by FrankenFretter. http://www.thefret.net/showthread.php?t=15087
Sorry Sean.
And now, continuing...:D
I doubt that anything like that is happening. They have no power to protest or initiate workplace change and are probably dominated by an upper class of some type, probably not refered to as aristocrats, but the managerial elite or business owners or something of that sort that consolidate all of the decision making power and all other power. There is probably a HUGE group at the bottom of the socio-economic pyramid that don't have anything coming and live basically hand to mouth, with few, if any opportunities to move up the ladder of society. They are likely very passive and apathetic. Easy for the power brokers to manipulate in their ostensibly warped version of communism and capitalism.
Syo would know best about the demographics since he has seen the situation first hand, especially out of the cities in the rural industrial areas.
Since you ask my first hand observations I'll be happy to give them, Duff...
The heads of 2 of the violin companies I do business with started out working in the rice fields 30+ years ago. Today, both of their companies are international with over 500 employees between them. Of their past employees, most of whom came from poverty, quite a few have left to start their own companies. Same for bow makers, guitar makers, case makers etc, etc. I cannot begin to tell you how many employees have left businesses I was doing business with to start up their own. Almost 100% of the company heads that I know did not come from any elite class. They scrapped and worked hard for what they have. My assistant who, when she isn't working with me, has her own business and has enough to be paying mortgages on three properties in the Beijing area. She came from poverty in N. China.
Duff, I think what I want to say is maybe difficult to make clear. Especially through the haze of a quite negative western media. China is not heaven on earth. One doesn't have to look far to see very real problems. It is not a representative democracy (ie you can't choose which crook you want to represent you) ;). But it is not a land of repressed automatons either. I have heard far more lower level employees speaking their minds than you would ever hear here in Japan. China has truly come a long way in a very short time to the benefit of many.
Hey Duff, I'll tell you what. I'm going to Beijing and South China next month. Why not come along and you can see some things for yourself. The Beijing Palm (music instrument) Expo is much better than NAMM. How many erhu's can you see at NAMM? :)
http://palmexpo.iirx-gallery.com/
Sorry Sean.
And now, continuing...:D
I doubt that anything like that is happening. They have no power to protest or initiate workplace change and are probably dominated by an upper class of some type, probably not refered to as aristocrats, but the managerial elite or business owners or something of that sort that consolidate all of the decision making power and all other power. There is probably a HUGE group at the bottom of the socio-economic pyramid that don't have anything coming and live basically hand to mouth, with few, if any opportunities to move up the ladder of society. They are likely very passive and apathetic. Easy for the power brokers to manipulate in their ostensibly warped version of communism and capitalism.
Syo would know best about the demographics since he has seen the situation first hand, especially out of the cities in the rural industrial areas.
Since you ask my first hand observations I'll be happy to give them, Duff...
The heads of 2 of the violin companies I do business with started out working in the rice fields 30+ years ago. Today, both of their companies are international with over 500 employees between them. Of their past employees, most of whom came from poverty, quite a few have left to start their own companies. Same for bow makers, guitar makers, case makers etc, etc. I cannot begin to tell you how many employees have left businesses I was doing business with to start up their own. Almost 100% of the company heads that I know did not come from any elite class. They scrapped and worked hard for what they have. My assistant who, when she isn't working with me, has her own business and has enough to be paying mortgages on three properties in the Beijing area. She came from poverty in N. China.
Duff, I think what I want to say is maybe difficult to make clear. Especially through the haze of a quite negative western media. China is not heaven on earth. One doesn't have to look far to see very real problems. It is not a representative democracy (ie you can't choose which crook you want to represent you) ;). But it is not a land of repressed automatons either. I have heard far more lower level employees speaking their minds than you would ever hear here in Japan. China has truly come a long way in a very short time to the benefit of many.
Hey Duff, I'll tell you what. I'm going to Beijing and South China next month. Why not come along and you can see some things for yourself. The Beijing Palm (music instrument) Expo is much better than NAMM. How many erhu's can you see at NAMM? :)
http://palmexpo.iirx-gallery.com/