Springer The Chinese Dream and Ordinary Chinese People

This collection of interviews explores how the Chinese Dream is fueling the aspirations of individuals in China today and presents 40 representative cases that showcase the journeys that ordinary people undertake in pursuit of their dreams as well as their extraordinary achievements.   The authors identify autonomy, self-awareness, and hard work as the most fundamental driving forces in individuals taking control of their own lives and achieving their dreams, with family and social support as further important factors. Despite the vast differences in the interviewees’ dreams and experiences in pursuing them, there is a common thread in their stories, namely the impact of major changes in the country on their lives. The future of individuals is closely linked to the future of the country: a bright future for the country means a good life for all.  People’s longing for a better life is the basis and a central element of the Chinese Dream, which is the dream of the nation and the dream of every citizen.  This book will appeal to a wide audience, including ordinary people. From the Back Cover This collection of interviews explores how the Chinese Dream is fueling the aspirations of individuals in China today and presents 40 representative cases that showcase the journeys that ordinary people undertake in pursuit of their dreams as well as their extraordinary achievements.   The authors identify autonomy, self-awareness, and hard work as the most fundamental driving forces in individuals taking control of their own lives and achieving their dreams, with family and social support as further important factors. Despite the vast differences in the interviewees’ dreams and experiences in pursuing them, there is a common thread in their stories, namely the impact of major changes in the country on their lives. The future of individuals is closely linked to the future of the country: a bright future for the country means a good life for all.  People’s longing for a better life is the basis and a central element of the Chinese Dream, which is the dream of the nation, and the dream of every citizen.  This book will appeal to a wide audience including ordinary people. About the Author Mr. Mai Lu earned his B.A. in economics from Beijing College of Economics in 1982, and his M.A. in public administration from John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University in 1991. He was a distinguished visiting scholar at MIT in 1999, and a Lulu Chow Wang Senior Visiting Scholar at Columbia Business School in 2010. From 1995 to 1998, Mr. Lu served at the Development Research Center of the State Council of China (DRC) as senior research fellow, Deputy Director of the International Cooperation Department, etc.. Previously, he was a senior research fellow in China Business Centre, Hong Kong Polytechnic University from 1993 to 1995. In 1991-1993, he served as research associate at Harvard Institute for International Development and the Department of Government of Harvard University. Mr. Lu started his career in the Research Center for Rural Development of the State Council of China in the late 1980s, where he assumed a number of positions including the director of Experimental Area Office for Rural Reform, and played a significant role in China’s rural reform. Besides his position in CDRF, Mr. Lu Mai is also an executive director of China Public Finance Society and a member of UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) Leadership Council. He served in the World Commission on the Social Dimension of Globalisation of the International Labour Office from 2002 to 2004. Under his leadership, CDRF completed China Human Development Report 2005 in the year of 2005, which received UNDP’s 2007 Human Development Award for Excellence in Policy Analysis and Influence. In 2011, LGOPAD Leading Group Office of Poverty Alleviation and Development (of the State Council) named Mr. Lu as one of t