ZHANG MING
BEIJING, China, Dec. 31
Many mainland Chinese are afflicted with empleomania -- an obsession with holding public office. This is demonstrated even in the sad story of a poor worker from the countryside named Xiao Zhijun.
The story was revealed by journalists investigating the deaths of Xiao's wife and her unborn baby in a Beijing hospital. Xiao went through a series of struggles with the hospital, which claimed he had refused to sign an agreement for an operation that could have saved his wife's and baby's lives. He claimed the hospital had not taken reasonable measures to save them.
But what was more surprising was that Xiao had concocted a story about being an official. He identified himself as belonging to the Organization Department of the Chinese Communist Party. Xiao's empleomania is ridiculous, but he isn't the only one.
It is certain that among Chinese farmers, throughout history, those who desired to hold public posts were more numerous than those who didn't. They lived frugally in order to afford education for their children, hoping the children might become officials.
Farmers always showed respect to the country squires and local scholars who might be closer to the authorities. In reality nowadays, many citizens criticize and deprecate officials behind their backs, but would not dare to fail to show respect if they met one of them face to face.
Unless the farmers are driven to craziness, they will not rebel against the authorities. Since modern China was established, rural societies have lost the little bit of autonomy they once had. Instead, the farmers feel the fearful power of the state and the government, which covers heaven and earth. Consequently, their enmity and envy toward officials are both increasing at the same time.
Farmers like Xiao Zejun can be seen everywhere. Ask the university students who come from the countryside and see how many of them do not desire a public post.
Being a politician may be seen as a glorious occupation in developed countries. However, only a small number of people follow this profession. There are many other appealing occupations in those societies, so few young people wish to become politicians. By comparison, being a civil servant is a quiet position. Although it is stable, it does not offer a satisfactory income or good reputation, so is not a top choice for young people in the job market.
Only in China is everyone in society crazy to take up a public position. Whenever there is an exam to recruit civil servants, every seat is taken by hopeful participants. Hundreds of applicants compete for a single easy job at a trade union, the United Front Work Department, and other official organizations.
Max Weber (1864-1920), recognized as one of the founders of modern sociology and public administration, once stated that officials in ancient China were the ones who made the most profits. Today his comment is still not out of date. Therefore so many people, including poor farmers and workers like Xiao Zhijun, dream of becoming officials. They are drawn by the perquisites, which include power and a psychological advantage over others.
The lowest public posts are the cadres at the county and town levels, while the positions that are hardly worthy of the name are found at the village level. In the rural areas such cadres are full of complaints, especially now that the agriculture tax has been abandoned. They complain about not receiving their salaries or allowances for six months, or one year or even several years. They may even be in tears.
But if you calm them down and observe them carefully, you'll find that most of these cadres are much better off than the local farmers. Moreover, regardless of their many duties and delayed payments, few of them quit their jobs. It is because they can hold onto power as long as they have a public post, at whatever level.
In such a society with its culture of officials, it is not surprising that even a poor farmer dreams of being an official.
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(Zhang Ming is a professor and supervisor of doctoral students at the School of International Relations of the People's University of China in Beijing. He has a PhD in politics, and is the former dean of the Politics Department at People's University. This article is translated and edited from the Chinese by UPI Asia Online. The original may be found at www.ncn.org and zhangming.vip.bokee.com ©Copyright Zhang Ming.)
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