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As China's economy is rapidly changing from a planned to a capitalist economy, many families find themselves financially struggling. In some cases, conflicting values and attitudes may contribute to mental health challenges such as depression that would lead to further feelings of helplessness and immobilization. Using a random sample of 1006 low-income households from Pudong District of Shanghai, China, this study aims to examine the relationships between household assets, beliefs about government as the primary way to improve economic circumstances and self-reported depressive symptoms. In addition, this study investigates the mediation effects of beliefs that government is the best change agent for improved life circumstances on the relationship between household assets and depression. We found those who indicated that government was the main means for attaining a better life had significantly higher depression levels whereas higher numbers of household assets were associated with lower depression levels. We also found that viewing government as the most important change agent only partially mediated the relationship between household assets and depression (p <.001). Findings from this study support anti-poverty policies and social work related practice initiatives aimed at assisting low income families in China, in particular the need to address psychological as well as economic needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The book "Successful China" by Robert Fitzthum presents facts about poverty alleviation, green transformation, and human-friendly cities of the future. The book includes an interview with Zhang Weiwei, a professor of International Relations and Dean of the China Institute at Fudan University in Shanghai. Zhang emphasizes that China wants to learn from the West while preserving its own identity. The book provides a detailed account of the measures and fields of work that China has taken to lift millions of people out of poverty. It is a contribution to promoting an unbiased understanding of China and creating a sustainable German-Chinese policy. [Extracted from the article]

Summary In this study of households living in informal settlements in three principal Chinese cities, we analyze the associations between informality, property rights, and poverty. We propose that informality can be understood in terms of property rights (presence/absence, strength, completeness, and ambiguity). Drawing on the property rights (entitlements) theories of Sen, de Soto, Ostrom, Alchian, and Coase, we refine a list of property rights effects that can be tested empirically. Using a household questionnaire survey of 1,208 respondents from a representative sample of 60 urban villages in Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou, we use robust regression models to detect statistical relationships between household performance on six poverty domains as a function of four property rights domains, controlling for income, human capital, and other influences. We find evidence for what we call Sen effects and de Soto effects. Our models show that some property rights are associated with lower poverty indicators. But we also find evidence to show that the absence, weakness, or ambiguity of property rights also reduce poverty indicators on particular domains, through what we assume to be a substitution effect. Informal settlements permit poorer household to live at lower costs than is usually, or officially, acceptable, and thus spend more on other welfare-enhancing expenditures. The distribution of property rights determines the size, distribution, and impacts of these trade-offs and shapes the economic and social performance of informal settlements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]