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"Higher education, higher satisfaction over family, diversified pursuits for a happy life and higher respect for morals?-" Findings of a social survey which lasted four years were recently published by Sun Yat-sen University in south China's Guangdong Province.

Started in 2000, the survey entitled "Basic Items in Social Changes of Guangdong" is a large-scale one tracking social changes in the frontier of China's reform and opening up. The survey is conducted in two stages, the first from July to October 2000, the second from July to October 2004. Through comparing data of the two groups, the survey team analyzed the changes of Guangdong residents' outlook on society, life, family and investment in the four years.

The survey team collected samples from over 2,000 people living in seven Guangdong cities (Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Dongguan, Shantou, Zhanjiang, Shaoguan and Meizhou) in a multi-leveled way (district-street-residents' committee-household). Surveyed items included housing, income, consumption and leisure, property and investment, medical care and insurance, social contacts, support and trust, social participation, social stratum and professional prestige, public morality, as well as opinion and attitude towards society.

Most social changes and problems they caused in every aspect found in Guangdong in recent four years represent questions that should be addressed during a period of social transformation. Serious and scientific survey data serve not only a prerequisite of precise government decision making, but a rational driving force of a transforming society, said Ren Jiantao, president of School of Political Science and Public Administration, Sun Yat-sen University.

Change I: People return to family, nearly 90 percent satisfied with family life, nearly 70 percent believe themselves middle-class or above

Guangdong residents displayed a stronger and stronger awareness of returning to family in the four years, the two-stage survey showed. In 2000 nearly 19 percent respondents chose "family" when asked "Which is more important, family or work?", the proportion rose to nearly 22 percent four years later, indicating increasing dependence on family.

Statistics also showed increasing support and trust from family members. Besides, a majority of people chose to spend their spare time at home, mainly watching films or listening to music, and those choosing to go out at night or engage in modern sports declined in number. Particularly, more people chose to spend holidays and festivals with family members. According to sociology Professor Qiu Haixiong with the University, this phenomenon was also found in European countries, where people showed a stronger sense of responsibility as well as higher dependence on family when state welfare was cut. In China, reforms in employing organizations gave rise to a trend of returning to family.

The proportion of Guangdong residents satisfied with family life kept rising in the four years and had reached above 90 percent, the survey showed. The province currently enjoys lower divorce and remarrying rates than national average.

Regarding the judging of a happy life, more than half chose "harmonious family life" four years ago, but more and more answered "health" and "successful career" in 2004 as their standards of a happy life. This indicated that people's outlook on happiness diversified in the four years, said sociology professor Li Weimin with the University.

Change II: People are more influenced by market-oriented economy and fundamental changes occurred in their ideas of housing and employment

The survey also revealed Guangdong resident's satisfaction over their existence. During the four years people believed themselves "middle class" increased by 10 percent to reach 57.9 percent, along with 10 percent "middle class above", showing their confidence in Guangdong economic development as well as higher recognition of the city they live in.

Noticeable changes were registered in Guangdong residents' housing origins. Second-stage survey showed that 21.9 percent lived in private houses handed down from former generations; 18.8 percent rented private houses; 16.6 percent bought welfare houses from their employing organizations; and 15.4 percent purchased commercial houses; the four items adding up to 72.7 percent of the total surveyed. These figures formed a sharp contrast with first-stage findings, in which 41.5 percent bought welfare houses from their employing organizations; only 11.6 percent purchased commercial houses; only 9.6 percent lived in private houses from former generations and merely 3.9 percent rented private houses from others. This indicated that the origin of people's housing had been more diversified and more commodity or market oriented. Employing organizations have been playing a smaller role in this regard, gradually giving place to market and family.

Regarding people's professions, four years ago the largest part of the employed was working for various government departments, while later the majority turned to private business or self-employment.

Change III: People more conservative and cautious in investment

RMB deposits were still the largest financial property of Guangdong residents. The proportion of people who possessed RMB deposits declined 20.6 percent compared with four years ago, and that of people who took RMB deposits as their biggest financial proportion decreased 9.1 percent. Analysis showed that the number of people holding deposits decreased continuously in the four years, but the total amount of their deposits gradually increased. On the other hand, the proportion of those owning various kinds of stocks and bonds also decreased, indicating a visible decline of investment willingness.

Change IV. Higher opinion of government performance, public morality but noticeably lower social participation by residents

61 percent respondents believed that "government policies represent the majority's interests", and 59 percent trusted government's emergency handling capability; but only 33 percent recognized their government's transparency, efficiency, cleanness and fairness, and only 33 percent believed that consumers' rights and interests were protected by consumers' associations.

Statistics showed that during the four years resident's social participation, especially in donations and volunteer work, dropped dramatically. Over 70 percent never took part in any social activities, and only 9.7 percent and 8.0 percent once took part in voluntary blood donation and volunteer work respectively; only 26.4 percent once involved themselves in disaster relief donations. 77.6 percent didn't know or unwilling to take part in government administration; 65.5 percent never thought of participating in government policy-making and 23.9 percent said they wouldn't do that actively. These are problems deserve high attention, experts say, since lack of social responsibility and sympathy will certainly weaken social cohesion.

Change V: The number of people receiving middle-level education grows

A comparison of data collected in 2000 and 2004 respectively showed that the number of Guangdong people receiving ordinary middle-level education grew noticeably to reach 13.6 percent.

The survey which lasted four years indicates that Guangdong people are more satisfied with their private life, such as marriage, friends, relatives and family, than with their working post, working conditions, employing organizations, professional prestige and housing. Their most unsatisfied items include work guarantee, income, welfare, promotion opportunity and education.

Editor: Olivia