Social Polarization and Segregation in Beijing

The biggest change in Beijing during the last decade has been in its social structure. This transition is changing the existing situation of social “equality”, and leads to polarization both in individual communities and in society as a whole. As a result, social variations and conflicting interest are growing, and some new social groups are emerging. In this paper we seek to explore a new urban phenomenon in post-1984 Beijing: social polarization and segregation. At first, we will discuss some elements explaining social polarization. The elements and the processes can be traced back to two main aspects of the economic reforms, namely the internal reforms unleashing a huge rural exodus and the open door policy. Special attention will be paid to the new lower end of the social ladder, which is made up largely by rural migrantsthat make up the so-called floating population. Finally we will explore how these social changes translate into urban segregation, with some consideration for future developments.