economic exclusions, but to achieve economic growth through elitist selection.
Shanghai’s elitist selection process is not unique in China. According to a study, Shanghai’s approach of barring the contributors with high expectations is consistent with methods of hukou exclusion adopted by 45 cities.18 Hence, the majority of migrants who contribute to Shanghai’s development do not qualify for the high conditions of urban hukou and are not beneficiaries of it. Ultimately, the elitist process suggests there is no correlation between the extent of economic prosperity and the embracement of equity and that many cities prioritise the former.
Even in the realm of education, equality is not a principle applied. Because Shanghai has the economic capacity to support children of migrants for school, those with residence card receive the 9-year compulsory education. However, it is only under the condition that schools have an extra enrolment quota, and that parents are qualified as residents that children can enrol.19 Furthermore, upon being registered, migrant students are educated separately from local students.20 Evidently, Shanghai has not made attempts to address social or economic exclusion, but temporarily addressed education issues caused by legal exclusion.
Nevertheless, Shanghai’s efforts are reflected in many other governments. In Guangdong, a similar points system is applied in which resident status becomes obtainable upon meeting a threshold of financial, professional and educational requirements.21 Social insurance contributions are also a requirement, but social welfare becomes accessible only upon obtaining the residence. Similarly in Zhejiang
88818. L., Zhang. “Economic migration and urban citizenship in china: The role of points systems.” Population and Development Review, 38(3), 2012.
88819. L., Li, S. Li, & Y. Cheng. “Better city, better life, but for whom?: The hukou and resident card system and the consequential citizenship stratification in shanghai.” City, Culture and Society, 1(3), 2010.
88820. Ibid. 19
88821. T., Miller. China's Urban Billion: The story behind the biggest migration in human history. Zed Books. Kindle Edition, 2012.
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