Social Transformation: European Experiences And Challenges China Is Facing

In western theory of social transformation, the process of social transformation is actually the process of modernization. According to Chinese scholars' viewpoint China's social transformation means the society changing from a traditional society to a modern one, from an agricultural society to an industrial one, from a closed society to an open one. To sum up, social transformation is a kind of complicated phenomena involving various economic and political and cultural factors. It is an inevitable result of productive force and market economy development. Furthermore, it is an integrated transition of social structure and formality of development, covering the change of social structure, social system, interests and concept. The realization of social transformation does not come from violence or mass movement, but from production development and new economic order establishment. As a matter of fact, social transformation is a process of accumulating quantitative changes, during which, many factors are in a state of mobility, transition and instability before qualitative changes take place.In history, some modernized countries like Britain and France suffered turbulence and instability during the period of transition from traditional society. European transformation experienced quick economic development and rapid growth of social wealthy while the society split up severely with the gap expanding between the rich and poor simultaneously. Poverty and unemployment made a lot of people living in the edge of life. Illnesses, injury suffered on the job and old-age pension were the main causes of social turbulence and instability.Though capitalist industrialization was responsible for creating this kind of instability and crisis, it also provided the impetus for seeking a way out for solution. The common understanding obtained via the varying developing experiences of European nations was to let society bear the risk of the industrialization process. So the social policies emerged in Europe aiming at minimizing the social risks of the market economy and the industrialization. One of the distinguished characteristics of the social policies was a core system comprising intervention of the state, legal regulations and the provision of social security through the redistribution of the wealth of the nation's citizens. The key Countermeasures were composed of social relief, employment assistance, medical care, and old-age pensions.The emergence and implementation of European social policies shrank the gap and moderated contradictions among classes; it also helped to form an atmosphere of social harmony and "social solidarity" spirit and to maintain social stability.Experiences of Europe tell us: economic development cannot bring about social harmony automatically. During the process of industrialization based on the market economy, it is indispensable to implement social policies targeting at expanding employment and providing social security to the members of society. It is almost impossible for an industrialized nation to maintain stability and sustainability without a series of adaptable social policies. Meanwhile, national system, national power and social ethics are also important requirements for constructing a modern harmonious society.Since 80's of last century, China has entered into a fast speed social transformation period accompanied by the establishment of market economy. This social transformation is wide and profound in the sense that it has both brought about huge economic development and led to the social differentiation. The similar problems and risks once western countries experienced during their social transformation based on liberal capitalism development have occurred in China, such as social stratification aggravating, the gap of rich and poor expanding , unemployment increasing, situation of public security worsening, social ethics deteriorating, corruption spreading and so on. The social order has been ruined and die society is currently located at a high risky stage. If the contradictions cannot be dealt with properly, social differentiation will go worse, possibly to surpass the range of fairness, the gap and antagonism between different classes and groups will deteriorate, resulting in split of social community, and the society will be in chaos. Therefore how to tackle these problems occurring in transitional society and how to constitute a fair society have become a fundamental issue in China.Generally speaking, China's challenge now is similar to that in Europe in the 19th century. In view of this, China should be good at using the experiences and lessons of Europe. However comparing with Europe, China has different background, different basic systems, and different national conditions. China should seek its own way to solve the contradictions. Recent years China has established the old-age pension system, social relief system, unemployment insurance system and medical insurance system. These social policies have played a role in moderating social contradictions. Nevertheless the existing systems are not effective enough to solve the social problems appropriately. The most crucial and urgent issues China is facing are concerned with establishing social policies to adapt China's conditions and improving varied systems and intensifying social control so as to successfully cross the period of transformation.The proper arrangement of the articles: starting with studying the characteristics and problems related with social transformation of Europe and China to identify common points; followed by studying the European social policies and Chinese ones to acquire the inspiration from European experiences; and finally, putting forward some proposals beneficial to China's harmonious society construction.