Most youths pin hopes on parents for success: survey

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A recent survey shows that most respondents think their peers yearn for effortless success with the help of a strong family background.

The Social Survey Center of China Youth Daily surveyed 3,809 people through minyi.net.cn and sohu.com. Of those surveyed, 80.4 percent believe young people who achieve career success in China are all winners in the "competition of family background," and 83.5 percent believe their peers hope to join the "competition of family background".

One respondent said: "Life is a game. Following rules is the only way you can survive". Young people from ordinary families complain that they are currently being judged on their family backgrounds rather than their abilities and knowledge when they look for jobs. This is probably another one of society's rules, and it's called "competition of family background".

With a good family background, namely parents with high social status, wealth or power, the children, known as the "second generation rich," are able to get decent jobs and social status ahead of those from poorer families, the survey shows.

A master's candidate at Hong Kong Polytechnic University said it was easy for graduates who have strong family connections to get good jobs.

"One of my classmates got an ideal position in a large state-run bank where his relative served as a high-level official. He won the offer even without interviews,"he said.

It seems that only people with strong backgrounds and connections can "get the last laugh" in such a "snobbish" society.

The survey shows that only 10 percent of respondents still believe that traits such as hard work, creativity and sound academic achievements can beat having a good father.

"Competition of family background" as a social phenomenon will add instability to Chinese society, according to Chen Youhua, a professor at Nanjing University.

When children of officials and wealthy people end up in government jobs, and children of the rich inherit from their parents, people from disadvantaged backgrounds have few opportunities for promotion, so even if they strive for a lifetime, they cannot gain an upper hand in the "competition of family background".

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