Part 11/12:
The converging issues of welfare austerity, real estate suppression, and the rise in precarious employment paint a complex picture of Shanghai’s current socio-economic landscape. The city’s government appears to prioritize maintaining a facade of stability and growth over addressing deeper systemic issues. The pushback from residents—whether protesting the reclamation of maternity benefits or supporting censorship of dissenting voices about the housing market—indicates a populace increasingly frustrated and disillusioned.