Abstract
The author reports on observations made on a recent five-week visit to new China. The general establishment of rural and urban communes since 1958, while affecting the structure of the home, does not appear to threaten the sense of family belonging. The commune has brought radical changes in social living; for instance, 80 p.c. of women who are physically fit work outside their homes. “Reformed through work”, adult criminals or juvenile delinquents are extremely rare.
As early as three months, the child is placed in the communal “creche”. The pre-schooler is indulged by adults while the school-age child must work very hard on the academic level in addition to giving to the State several hours of manual work. The child and the teenager appear to be more concerned with socio-political themes than with conflicts which would exist in their relationships with their parents. Dating among adolescents is non-existent.
According to the author, there would be few variations in psychotic conditions, but probably a marked decrease of psychoneuroses, character troubles and anti-social behaviour. Mental debility is denied by the official authorities.
In conclusion, the author notes a fairly remarkable civic pride but at the same time a stereotyped attitude in thought and behaviour. The State does not place itself between the child and his parents, but rather above the latter. Understandably, such a society has assigned to each individual a definite role and this structure, at least at this phase, appears to be a favourable factor in the mental health of the Chinese.