Rat tribe explained

Rat tribe is a neologism used to describe low income migrant workers who live in underground accommodations within Chinese cities.[1] As 2015, official estimates are of 281,000 people living in Beijing's underground, although estimates of up to one million have also been widely reported.[2] [3]

Background

Housing policy dating back to the early stages of the Cold War instigated the incorporation of basement air raid shelters into newly built residential buildings. Encouraged by Deng Xiaoping's economic reforms, migrant workers began emigrating from rural areas to more urban ones, lured by the benefits of higher salaries and standards of living. To accommodate the population surge, the Chinese government permitted the use of these shelters as residences. Without a valid residential permit many migrants were unable to afford the cost of purchasing their own home on arrival and instead turned towards these low cost rooms.

In late 2010, the term "鼠族" began being used to describe underground dwellers in the Chinese press. Shortly after, the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development formally banned residential rentals of basements and air raid shelters due to safety concerns. By early 2015, state media had reported that 120,000 people had been evicted from underground residences.[4]

Accommodation

While still illegal, many migrant workers choose to live in these centrally located conditions to avoid a longer commute to their workplace.[5] According to a 2013 study, the median area for an underground room in Beijing was 9.75m2 and the average price was 436 yuan per month.[6] Hygiene conditions in these residences are generally poor, with shared communal facilities.[7] [8] In one instance, people across 80 rooms had access to a single toilet.[9]

See also

Notes and References

  1. News: Li. Raymond. Cramped, cold and underground - the meagre existence of Beijing's 'rat tribe'. 22 February 2015. South China Morning Post. 8 February 2011.
  2. News: Connor. Neil. Tan. Wing. 'Rat tribe' flees high costs and dwells underground. 22 February 2015. Shanghai Daily. 15 February 2014.
  3. News: Johnson. Ian. The Rat Tribe of Beijing. 22 February 2015. Al Jazeera America. 24 January 2015.
  4. News: Davidson. Nicole. Thousands of Beijing's 'rat tribe' underground residents evicted. 22 February 2015. The Daily Telegraph. 11 February 2015.
  5. News: Hunt. Katie. Meet the 'rat tribe' living in Beijing's underground city. 22 February 2015. CNN News. 18 February 2015.
  6. News: Kim. Annette M.. Hidden City. 22 February 2015. Lincoln Institute of Land Policy. October 2014.
  7. Book: Dillon. Christopher. Landed China. 2013. Dillon Communications. Hong Kong. 9789881714749. 173.
  8. Web site: Kosuga. Tomo. Ant and Rat Tribes in Beijing. VICE. 22 February 2015.
  9. News: Zhao. Xibin. 京城"鼠族"寄居小区地下室 80间房仅1个厕所. https://web.archive.org/web/20111021024445/http://news.xinhuanet.com/employment/2010-11/10/c_12759108.htm. dead. October 21, 2011. 22 February 2015. Xinhua. 10 November 2010. zh.