1981 almost 90% of China lived in extreme poverty
Agriculture based economy
CHANGED- GDP grew 24 times in 40 years
Largest internal migration of people in history
Left hometowns moved to cities on the east coast- Shanghai, Beijing and Guangzhou
160 million rural-urban migrants in China
12% of the total population
Fewer labourers needed as China industrialised- no jobs
Agricultural production became less profitable
China’s central planners encouraged local leaders to encourage migration
Economic reasons- Urban jobs 5x the income of a person in rural China
Social factors- Desire for modern lifestyle, boredom with village life, freedom from parents