Blog 10: High marriage costs leave many in rural China in debt 4/18/14 2:36p.m

Summary

               Northern China farmer families are facing financial impacts of the rising cost on marriages as they scratch and scram for every penny that goes towards such expenses as the ceremony and the dowry.  Farmer families in villages have complained how expensive it has been for them to fork out the money to help their son/sons pay for expenses such as a house and a car at the request of their bride’s family. The parent’s of these son/sons are going far beyond what they can afford financially just to give their son/sons a traditional wedding.  Some reports that were included said that it cost as high as 200,000 yuan or $32,200 in US dollars for the dowry and wedding ceremony but on top of that it cost the son another 200,000 yuan for a house and 80,000 yuan ( 12,900 US dollars) for a car. On the other hand it has become harder to find a wife in villages due to a shortage of women in these areas as a result of the country’s one child policy.  Other reasons have been because of traditional preference for male heir and a rise of women living in urban areas.

Analysis

             The social issue here is that high prices have put an economical weight on many of these families as they have had to resort to other means in order to find enough money. Farmer families have to borrow money to make ends meet while they continue to put themselves in even deeper dept. While they continue to put themselves in further debt just to cover the cost of weddings it is hurting them in other areas of their life such as: lack of money to go towards farm supplies and seeds to provide food for their family, living expenses with their homes, and other necessary expenses to take care of the rest of the family. The director of the sociology department at the school of the central committee of CPC suggested that the government needs to implement a plan to have stronger education provided to these villages in order to reduce these high costs towards weddings. 

Published :  4/15/2014 

 http://www.wantchinatimes.com/news-subclass-cnt.aspx?id=20140415000146&cid=1503