Name: Yue Zhaomin
Country: India

Year: 2016
Volume: Volume-1, Issue-1 (January-June)
Page Number: 126-139

Chinese society is in the transition from totalitarian society to individualized society, during which, the trend of "individualization" is being strengthened and the traditional "totalitarian society " is being broken through and surpassed. In the traditional "totalitarian society", individual's interests are safeguarded by the social security system, mainly the social welfare policies. While in the "individualized society", the individuals are becoming lonely and atomizing, and the personal identity is shaped by the rights that ensuring individual value and personal dignity instead of being defined within "collectivity". Because of its emphasis on personal talents and achievements, the "individualized society" is speeding up the stratification of society and legitimize the social inequalities. At the same time, in the "individualized society", individuals are likely getting less involved in the collective activities because of the fast-paced life-style, furthermore, the faster social mobility weakens the kinship ties, and the spatial subdivision of workplace and living place constrains the deep social relationships. Thus, the traditional bonds of kinships and neighborhoods are becoming loose, individuals are stepping out of the traditional "acquaintance society" and entering a "strangers society" instead, which results in more individual freedom and personal space.