China's Ghost Cities

     In class a while ago, we were discussing Marx's view on the Social Contract. How faceless people were just cogs in a working system. We agreed that this view was communist, which therefore turned our attention to China. We briefly referred to China's economy, and the subject of China's 'Ghost Cities' came up. 

     We mentioned how China was building massive city structures, but no one lived in them. It appears that China was hoping to have millions of people from rural towns move into the infrastructures but they were frankly, just too expensive. No one could afford them, so the abandoned cities just sit there deserted or with very few population. It is obvious that anyone will rarely use these facilities for a long time. Yet, China keeps constructing to keep a certain GDP (Gross Domestic Production). 

Here are some videos: 

SBS Dateline (Australian TV) 2011

60 Minutes 2013