The Rickshaw Pullers Subjected To The Network Of Mutiple Powers In Modern China

Because of miserable lives, rickshaw pullers in modern China attracted masses of people. In people's eyes, the figure of Xiangzi was their typical character long ago. This thesis analyses rickshaw pullers of Hankow in 1945-1949, to reveal their more thuthful and more clear images. Because rickshaw pullers faced the powers from the state, the labour union and the sociaty of merchants, the writer tries to reflect complicated relations among them.The great mojortity of rickshaw pullers in modern Hankow had their orgin in illiterate and poor-skilled peasents around. They did the heaviest jobs, but were oppressed by evil forces, with the poorest lives. To manage them, three different organizations became their managers, including the local government, the rickshaw workers' union, rickshaw boss and the guild. They all together constructed a network of mutiple powers.In the network, the Nationlist Government had the greatest power. In the period of scrambling for the power rule with the Communist Party , it had tightened rickshaw pullers' control by means of the conciliation policy. As a result, it had protected the interests of rickshaw pullers to some degree. Through activities in management and succour, the rickshaw workers' union led by the goverment effectively avoided derailing of them, and ensured their economic rights at the same time. The rickshaw bosses are another manager of them. They protected the legal rights of rickshaw pullers by using their stronger force, while keeping the rickshaw business developing well. Although the management of three side above often endangered the survival of rickshaw pullers, they could reduce the harm in rickshaw pullers by making a good balance in different powers of them.Under the control of mutiple powers, rickshaw pullers formed survival fashions of their own. On one side, they made a united effort in fightings for their rights, with the same identity and experience. So they had a distinct quality of struggle. On the other side, they strenthened deterent force in fighting by using the "legal" plans and the voilent means. The weak group had changed decisions of the government many times, displaying the power that could not be neglected.