Recently, a remark from Chi Fulin, president of the China Institute of Reform and Development, caused heated discussions among netizens. He suggested that the consumption power of migrant workers should be unleashed, and if 30 million migrant workers are truly treated as urban residents, it will drive 12 trillion yuan of consumption potential. But the suggestion raises questions online and reveals the magnitude of inequality in our society.
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Professor Chi's suggestion is understandable. Migrant workers have contributed to urban construction for a long time and should enjoy basic rights and dignity. But how can these rights be given to them? "Treatment of urban residents" mainly refers to welfare guarantees, that is, five social insurances and one housing fund. However, the reality is that the vast majority of migrant workers find it difficult to obtain these guarantees from enterprises, which is actually a manifestation of the irresponsibility of many enterprises.
In addition, the term "unleashing spending power" is also prone to misunderstanding. Many netizens pointed out that migrant workers are a poor group who collect every penny to support their families. They simply cannot afford to consume other than necessities.
Young people are working alone in the cities, and their elders are living in poverty in their hometowns, so how can they talk about "unleashing consumption"? What they need is not consumption, but higher wages and more stable employment.
The root of the problem lies in our long-standing neglect of the interests of the low-security groups. Entrepreneurs and governments see migrant workers as alternative tools, not people. Society lacks empathy and turns a blind eye to the plight of others.
Many netizens lamented that if policymakers could understand the people's feelings, they would not have said such anomie. The difficulties of others are their own worries, and we should think about how to improve the quality of life of migrant workers, rather than encouraging meaningless consumption.
In addition, some netizens suggested whether pension funds in developed areas should be used to improve the welfare of other people, such as expanding the coverage of the fund, including migrant workers, to solve the fundamental problem. These suggestions are to the point and deserve our deep thought. Only by facing up to the problem of social inequality and promoting a sense of community can we build a harmonious and happy society.
This incident reminds us once again that it is not enough to take a set of theories and try to solve practical problems. Policy formulation needs to pay attention to the position of the masses and care about the actual needs of vulnerable groups, so as to truly benefit the people. All walks of life also need to shoulder more social responsibilities and work together to create a society where all people can live with dignity. Only by focusing on equality and love can our society move towards the light.