China has maintained rapid economic growth for three decades, and from 1992 to 2011 annual GDP growth surpassed 8 percent. But as social unrest and inequality are on the rise — and as the country faces a host of other problems, from poor food safety and substandard construction to dangerous pollution levels and environmental destruction — some people have argued that the cost of maintaining rapid economic growth is too high. Are the costs now outweighing the benefits? In the following cartoon, posted by artist Zhu Senlin (朱森林) to Sina Weibo, a hen is squeezed violently with a rolling pin simply to extract a single egg labeled “GDP.” The cartoon is titled: “Just for One Egg.”
David Bandurski
CMP Director
