Thirty Years of Turbulence - Chinese Enterprises

作者：admin  点击次数：39  发布时间：2025-02-13

Throughout the 1980s, in many cities, working in a private factory was a very shameful thing, and opening a small shop to do a little business would be scornfully called an "individual business owner," that is, an "unorganized person," an unprotected vagrant outside the system. This social impression did not change until the term "ten thousand yuan household" appeared, from contempt to secret envy, and then to unbridled praise from the whole society. Twenty years ago, state-owned and collective enterprises were terrible behemoths, and many large state-owned factories had almost all social functions, "except for crematoriums, everything." A job position was very precious and could be "hereditary." After retirement, a father could immediately designate one of his children to replace him. For a family, a company was as important as "a larger family." Zong Qinghou, who is now a wealthy man, was a "settled-down farmer" in the countryside. In order to return to the city, he asked his mother, who worked in a district school-run factory, to retire early. She gave the job to her son, who rode a tricycle to the gates of various schools to sell exercise books and pencils. After raising enough money, he founded the Wahaha Children's Health Products Factory, which is now China's largest beverage company.

Just now, I mentioned "a group of little people". Perhaps no other title is more suitable for this group of people who are transforming history. They never thought that they would play such an important role in history. A small official in Wenzhou once said to me generously, "Many times, reforms start from violations." Everyone can hear the clarity, helplessness and determination in his words. You can refute him, attack him, and despise him, but you can't stop him, because he is almost speaking the above words word by word on behalf of history.