The first societal problem in China that catches my attention is the corruption in government. The reason why: it has a striking resemblance to Malaysia, which is also facing the problem of corruption. The government officials in China violate the people's interests through various means, like the seizure of land without appropriate compensation. Malaysia has a similar situation, where corruption by officials have enraged the people. Although the corruption is not as serious compared to China, the governing political party, Barisan Nasional had a close victory in the 2008 elections, garnering only a mere 3% more than half of the total effective votes due to people being furious at the government's inability to place the people's interest at top priority. Women, Community and Families Development Minister Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil faced pressure for her resignation from her post due to her husband's involvement in corruption. Personally, I feel that it is hard for the government of China to combat corruption due to its political system which does not disclose policies to the people and also because it is impossible to monitor every single officer in the CCP to ensure near zero corruption rate. Unless the officials themselves possess integrity, it will be hard for the CCP to combat against internal corruption.
It is the corruption of the government that has lead to the people's disillusionment against the government. The people have decided to voice out for their rights, and I feel that this is a step in the right direction for China. Although this is not what is best for a global economic power, it certainly is what is best for the people of China. The change that the people wish for will never come unless the people are ready to stand up for themselves. Again, this bears similarity to Malaysia. The Bersih 2.0 movement, Stop Lynas Save Malaysia movement and other movements to fight for the people's rights show that the people refuse to have their rights being violated. I believe that in the near future, there will be more riots in China if the corruption continues to remain or worsen.
While China has to deal with corruption and other issues, America's public debt crisis is also a problem not to be ignored. Overspending on the military section has lead America into a public debt crisis. If we look back on America's economic history, America has been in public debt for the majority of the time. Although America has the responsibility as the leading nation to conduct military interference to ensure peace and to combat terrorism, I still feel that it should manage its budget more carefully to prevent the problem from worsening. More spending should go into boosting its economy to restore investors' confidence in the American economy and alleviate the debt crisis. Unless there is an urgent need for military expenses, budget spending on the military sector should be cut down.
Another problem existent within America is its high unemployment rate. Because more and more low cost labour jobs are being passed to China by American companies, Americans face strong competition to get a job with such limited jobs available. I feel concerned as America is a developed country but yet it faces the problem of unemployment. The young graduates will have a harder time finding a job and their parents will have to support them until they find one. The young people will therefore find it harder to support their families and there might be more poor people as a result, causing an even wider income gap, which will create even more social problems. Therefore, the American government should encourage local companies to set up their factories in America by providing incentives for the companies. However America needs to balance the incentives well in its budget or else America might risk either falling into a deeper public debt or a backfiring of plans.
In conclusion, both of these global economic giants are facing threats that might impede economic growth. The government of both countries should be quick to deal with these problems, or else they will become a thorn deep inside the flesh.
While China has to deal with corruption and other issues, America's public debt crisis is also a problem not to be ignored. Overspending on the military section has lead America into a public debt crisis. If we look back on America's economic history, America has been in public debt for the majority of the time. Although America has the responsibility as the leading nation to conduct military interference to ensure peace and to combat terrorism, I still feel that it should manage its budget more carefully to prevent the problem from worsening. More spending should go into boosting its economy to restore investors' confidence in the American economy and alleviate the debt crisis. Unless there is an urgent need for military expenses, budget spending on the military sector should be cut down.
Another problem existent within America is its high unemployment rate. Because more and more low cost labour jobs are being passed to China by American companies, Americans face strong competition to get a job with such limited jobs available. I feel concerned as America is a developed country but yet it faces the problem of unemployment. The young graduates will have a harder time finding a job and their parents will have to support them until they find one. The young people will therefore find it harder to support their families and there might be more poor people as a result, causing an even wider income gap, which will create even more social problems. Therefore, the American government should encourage local companies to set up their factories in America by providing incentives for the companies. However America needs to balance the incentives well in its budget or else America might risk either falling into a deeper public debt or a backfiring of plans.
In conclusion, both of these global economic giants are facing threats that might impede economic growth. The government of both countries should be quick to deal with these problems, or else they will become a thorn deep inside the flesh.
