MADISON, Wisconsin – For several years now, a significant share of young Chinese people, disillusioned with their economic prospects, have embraced “lying flat,” a principled rejection of careerist competition (the proverbial “rat race”). Since such attitudes do not bode well for the country’s economic future, Chinese authorities have responded by portraying the movement as a foreign-backed effort to undermine national development and morale.
This is not a new tactic. When I spearheaded opposition to China’s one-child policy, I was accused of colluding with hostile foreign interests to undermine the country through overpopulation. Now that China’s population decline is undeniable, I am accused of exaggerating the crisis and bashing China.
In fact, “lying flat” is a direct result of the one-child policy. Just as biological homeostasis — avoiding deviations in blood pressure or blood sugar, for example — is necessary to prevent illness or death, so economic homeostasis requires maintaining the right balance between consumption and production. Introduced in 1980 in the belief that a smaller population would improve employment, the one-child policy produced the opposite result. By reducing children — well-known “superconsumers” — it weakened household bargaining power, driving the share of household disposable income in gross domestic product from about two-thirds in the 1980s (broadly in line with peer economies) to just 44% today.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.