For the grassroot masses, the policies-setting report delivered at the once-every-five-year national congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) is probably too multifarious and too macro-sounding to study.
The one passed by the just concluded 17th National Congress of the CPC, however, contains some encouraging messages that are manifestly new. One of them is the emphasis on the improvement of people's livelihood. Compared to reports in previous congresses, a larger part of the policy statement is devoted to the issue with more explicit wording
The report says that the share given to labor in the primary distribution of wealth should be raised and that the relationship between efficiency and fairness be "handled properly". This marked the first ever acknowledgement that the share of after-production profits laborers obtained as compared to that garnered by other productive elements was unfairly low.
In the last 20 years of the past century, China took on market-oriented reform and went all out to ensure a fast economic growth. Counteracting the previous egalitarianism, which was intrinsically a haven for poor work performance, the nation accepted the notion that efficiency has priority over fairness.
The notion was right at that time as it was a sobering stimulant for Chinese who had become accustomed to the practice of "eating from the same rice wok". And efficiency did play a vital role in the dramatic growth of China's national economy since the launch of the reform drive at the end of the 1970s.
The nearly two-digit annual growth of the economy over the past 28 years has benefited all strata of society - to different extents. Anyone who is faithful to facts will admit that the living standard of the Chinese people has been raised by a huge margin.
However, after more than 20 years, people have begun to think if the "efficiency prioritized over fairness" approach is still justifiable. Every truth is relative in nature depending on the conditions under which it is applied. What was right in the past may not be applicable today. When developing economy and shaking off poverty as quickly as possible was the top demand of the whole nation, sacrificing fairness to ensure high economic efficiency was the only alternative for the Chinese people. But now, when the national wealth has increased to a considerably large extent (ours is now the fourth largest economy in the world with the largest foreign exchange reserve), a fairer distribution of revenue among different members of the economy should be put on our agenda, given the fact that the income distribution gaps have widened remarkably and the rich-poor disparity has worsened to an alarming extent.
The past practice of compensating laborers in the so-called redistribution (such as in the forms of poverty-relief funds and individual financial management) had little efficacy. For most laborers, wage is the only source of income. An increase in this form of primary distribution is the most substantial benefit for common laborers.
The decision to raise labor's share in the primary distribution comes just in time. And there are reasons for us to believe that China is bound to head for a "fairer society with greater justice" as stated in the Party report. The belief is based on the fact that in the past five years since the 16th National Congress of the CPC, a number of policies have been implemented to bring substantive benefits to rural and low-income urban residents. For instance, the scrapping of the agriculture tax, the enforcement of free compulsory education in rural areas, and the several hikes in pensions for retirees of all enterprises.
相关单词：livelihood
livelihood解释：n.生计，谋生之道
livelihood例句：
Appropriate arrangements will be made for their work and livelihood.他们的工作和生活会得到妥善安排。
My father gained a bare livelihood of family by his own hands.父亲靠自己的双手勉强维持家计。
相关单词：devoted
devoted解释：adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的
devoted例句：
He devoted his life to the educational cause of the motherland.他为祖国的教育事业贡献了一生。
We devoted a lengthy and full discussion to this topic.我们对这个题目进行了长时间的充分讨论。
相关单词：explicit
explicit解释：adj.详述的，明确的；坦率的；显然的
explicit例句：
She was quite explicit
He avoids the explicit answer to us.他避免给我们明确的回答。
相关单词：labor
labor解释：n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦
labor例句：
We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。
相关单词：laborers
laborers解释：n.体力劳动者，工人( laborer的名词复数 )；（熟练工人的）辅助工
laborers例句：
Laborers were trained to handle 50-ton compactors and giant cranes. 工人们接受操作五十吨压土机和巨型起重机的训练。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
Wage-labour rests exclusively on competition between the laborers. 雇佣劳动完全是建立在工人的自相竞争之上的。 来自英汉非文学 - 共产党宣言
相关单词：garnered
garnered解释：v.收集并（通常）贮藏（某物），取得，获得( garner的过去式和过去分词 )
garnered例句：
Mr. Smith gradually garnered a national reputation as a financial expert. 史密斯先生逐渐赢得全国金融专家的声誉。 来自《简明英汉词典》
He has garnered extensive support for his proposals. 他的提议得到了广泛的支持。 来自辞典例句
相关单词：counteracting
counteracting解释：对抗，抵消( counteract的现在分词 )
counteracting例句：
The turmoil, he said, was "counteracting the course of global civilization. " 这次骚乱，他指出，“阻碍了世界文明的进程”。
But he notes that there are counteracting forces as well. 但是他也指出还有一些抵消因素。
相关单词：haven
haven解释：n.安全的地方，避难所，庇护所
haven例句：
It's a real haven at the end of a busy working day.忙碌了一整天后，这真是一个安乐窝。
The school library is a little haven of peace and quiet.学校的图书馆是一个和平且安静的小避风港。
相关单词：stimulant
stimulant解释：n.刺激物，兴奋剂
stimulant例句：
It is used in medicine for its stimulant quality.由于它有兴奋剂的特性而被应用于医学。
Musk is used for perfume and stimulant.麝香可以用作香料和兴奋剂。
相关单词：wok
wok解释：n.锅，炒菜锅
wok例句：
I'm not teaching my students how to use a wok.我不是教我的学生们如何用炒菜的。
He threw the meat into his biggest wok to cook.他把肉扔到最大的一口锅里煮。
相关单词：strata
strata解释：n.地层（复数）；社会阶层
strata例句：
The older strata gradually disintegrate.较老的岩层渐渐风化。
They represent all social strata.他们代表各个社会阶层。
相关单词：margin
margin解释：n.页边空白；差额；余地，余裕；边，边缘
margin例句：
We allowed a margin of 20 minutes in catching the train.我们有20分钟的余地赶火车。
The village is situated at the margin of a forest.村子位于森林的边缘。
相关单词：justifiable
justifiable解释：adj.有理由的，无可非议的
justifiable例句：
What he has done is hardly justifiable.他的所作所为说不过去。
Justifiable defense is the act being exempted from crimes.正当防卫不属于犯罪行为。
相关单词：applied
applied解释：adj.应用的；v.应用，适用
applied例句：
She plans to take a course in applied linguistics.她打算学习应用语言学课程。
This cream is best applied to the face at night.这种乳霜最好晚上擦脸用。
相关单词：considerably
considerably解释：adv.极大地；相当大地；在很大程度上
considerably例句：
The economic situation has changed considerably.经济形势已发生了相当大的变化。
The gap has narrowed considerably.分歧大大缩小了。
相关单词：remarkably
remarkably解释：ad.不同寻常地，相当地
remarkably例句：
I thought she was remarkably restrained in the circumstances. 我认为她在那种情况下非常克制。
He made a remarkably swift recovery. 他康复得相当快。
相关单词：compensating
compensating解释：补偿，补助，修正
compensating例句：
I am able to set up compensating networks of nerve connections. 我能建立起补偿性的神经联系网。
It is desirable that compensating cables be run in earthed conduit. 补偿导线最好在地下管道中穿过。
相关单词：implemented
implemented解释：v.实现( implement的过去式和过去分词 )；执行；贯彻；使生效
implemented例句：
This agreement, if not implemented, is a mere scrap of paper. 这个协定如不执行只不过是一纸空文。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
The economy is in danger of collapse unless far-reaching reforms are implemented. 如果不实施影响深远的改革，经济就面临崩溃的危险。 来自辞典例句
相关单词：substantive
substantive解释：adj.表示实在的；本质的、实质性的；独立的；n.实词，实名词；独立存在的实体
substantive例句：
They plan to meet again in Rome very soon to begin substantive negotiations.他们计划不久在罗马再次会晤以开始实质性的谈判。
A president needs substantive advice,but he also requires emotional succor. 一个总统需要实质性的建议，但也需要感情上的支持。
相关单词：scrapping
scrapping解释：刮，切除坯体余泥
scrapping例句：
He was always scrapping at school. 他在学校总打架。
These two dogs are always scrapping. 这两条狗总是打架。
相关单词：compulsory
compulsory解释：n.强制的，必修的；规定的，义务的
compulsory例句：
Is English a compulsory subject?英语是必修课吗？
Compulsory schooling ends at sixteen.义务教育至16岁为止。
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