Chinese students favour pragmatism over communism

Beijing, June 12 : Students in one northern Chinese province vastly favour pragmatism over communism, a survey found, 40 years after gangs of rampaging students rebelled in the name of Chairman Mao Zedong during the Cultural Revolution.

Over 66 percent of students in Hebei province chose pragmatism when asked to choose their preferred ideology in a university survey testing students' attitudes to life, morality, politics, love and employment, state media reported today.

Although ranking as second most popular ideology, communism trailed with only 13 percent of the vote, just ahead of ''hedonism'' with 11 percent, the China Youth Daily reported.

''The result indicates that university students' mentality has undergone fundamental changes -- namely, from idealism to realism,'' the paper quoted Li Weiyi, a professor at the university, as saying.

Asked to choose their ideals and aspirations, 64.5 per cent of students at 11 universities polled opted for ''successful career and satisfying life'', and only 1 percent chose ''striving for the Communist Party'', the paper said, the weakest of a field including ''fame and fortune'', ''self perfection'' and a ''fulfilling family life''.

Students' hard-bitten practicality was indicated by their consciousness of salary and their personal worth in the job market, the paper said.

''In the past when students were allocated jobs after graduation ... people shouted slogans for the ''Three Go's'' -- go to work at the grass-roots of society, to the border regions, or the Motherland's most needy places,'' the paper said.

''But now there are 'three new go's' -- go to work at a joint venture or a foreign company, overseas or places with the most earning potential.''

Reuters