Don’t blame kids for millionaire parents

By Wen Dao Source:Global Times Published: 2016-2-6 1:43:01

Illustration: Liu Rui/GT



 Is it appropriate for kids to take part in politics at a time when most of them are fond of Xbox or Barbie dolls? The answers might differ by culture.

Alena Mulhern, a Chinese-born 10-year-old girl who was adopted by an American couple, found her enthusiasm in politics trouble-free. Deeming the part of the Constitution that forbids foreign-born US citizens from seeking the presidency unfair, she decided to argue for a change.

Mulhern took her case to the Massachusetts State House, hoping to convince the State Legislature to pass a resolution calling for a constitutional amendment. She even eyes the 2040 presidential election, by which time she will be 35 years old, the minimum age for someone to be elected president.

Mulhern's thoughts and actions are encouraged by her parents and the legislators.

However, a 13-year-old Chinese boy named Liu Bo in Shenzhen was not that lucky. After being exposed by media that he was invited to audit a meeting of the local Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), an advisory body for Chinese legislature, he has been exaggeratingly labeled "the youngest member of the CPPCC."

Liu drew broad attention from the Internet. There are photos of him wearing a red scarf, a symbol of young Communists, and solemnly sitting in a large conference room. Some of the boy's family details have also been exposed online.

He is a child star, attending a lot of entertainment programs and starring in movies and TV dramas since he was five. He is also an excellent student at one of the best junior schools in Shenzhen, who gets straight As in exams and is admired by his fellows and teachers. He also has a wealthy and perhaps influential family, who can dress him in Armani and provide unrivaled resources for his growth.

Liu seems to be a golden boy born with a silver spoon in his mouth. Unsurprisingly, people have leapt to the conclusion that his family arranged the whole deal. Accusations such as "he belongs to the privileged class," "he is a joke to be an observer to the CPPCC at such a young age," and "his family must be part of the group of vested interests," have gone viral on the Internet.

What Liu was trying to propose during the meeting - an appeal to de-escalate the excessive importance of marks in primary schooling - has been ignored. It seems that only his origin and family matter to the public.

As Liu's mother defends on Liu's Sina Weibo account, "to be rich is not wrong as long as your wealth is earned through hard and honest work." But strangely, many of the Chinese public seem to assume that anybody who became rich did so through skirting the law, bribing officials, or working family connections, even if there is no direct evidence for this.

This unfair attitude tarnishes the image of the many honest and hard-working Chinese rich people, who are often rewarded for their hard work by being given places in the CPPCC. In Liu's case, there is no proof yet to demonstrate he earned his social status and all kinds of titles through immoral deeds.

It is widely believed that most of the rich in China are tainted by the original sin of wealth, since they made their money in the "wild west" era of the 1980s and 1990s.

It is true to some extent as they got rich when China lacked the rule of law in the initial stages of reform and opening-up. However, it is more unfair to arbitrarily judge a kid with a wealthy and influential background as being dishonest. China is still in a volatile restructuring of its social hierarchy, and it is important to direct society to believe that wealth can be acquired through honest means.

As for whether kids should be exposed to politics, society should learn how to respect the growing minds and their ideas about all walks of life, even though they are still young. Chinese society does not have the tradition of giving younger people enough space to talk, and this should change.

But perhaps people would listen more if the young seemed to be speaking based on their own merits, rather than standing on the shoulders of their family.

The author is a Global Times reporter. liuzhun@globaltimes.com.cn



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