China Promotes Harmony within the Country through Mediation TV Shows
By Lauriane Eudeline
Ms. Zheng Li followed an in-depth study of reality television in China, focusing primarily on mediation TV shows and their impact on Chinese culture. The central points of her thesis[1] have been summarized in this blogpost.
Introduction
Following China’s accession to the World Trade Organization in 2001, broadcasting was liberalized and more Western-style reality television shows appeared within the panorama of Chinese entertainment. In 2008, Xin Lao NiangJiu (translated as “New Elder Uncle”), was launched as the first reality television mediation show. The program was streamed in the region of Shanghai and quickly became very popular, recording an average of 1.81 million viewers per show. The central idea of Xin Lao NiangJiu involves individuals raising an issue before a mediator, typically a judge or lawyer, in the effort of resolution without legal assistance. Common contentious issues brought by Chinese participants vary from the distribution of real estate property, financial issues, and in-family relations.
By 2012, there were 47 mediation television shows in China aimed at promoting non-legal means of conflict resolution and social harmony.
Context
These mediation shows developed during a period in which the Hu-Wen government[2] had attempted the creation of a ‘harmonious society’ in response to the social distress caused by economic reforms, large-scale privatization of enterprises, and the subsequent mass unemployment of the 1990s. This situation generated ‘labour unrest’ across the country, thus laid-off workers became a prime target group for these mediation shows. The 1990’s economic reforms also affected migrant workers and urban elderly who took collective actions (protests, petition, and anti-social activities) to raise their discontent.
In order to contain this discontent within the society, the Hu-Wen government started to implement “the harmonious society” campaign, emphasizing the need for “harmony” within the country by reducing conflict of any sort. In 2010, the Chinese government furthered by promulgating the People’s Mediation Law in order to support harmony outside the courtroom. People’s Mediators play an affirmative role in social control through the application of legal ideals and policies in dispute resolution ensuring conflict alleviation, potential lawsuit deterrence, and pacifying social unrest.
Other nonjudicial forms of mediation
China also promotes non-judicial mediation through Administrative Mediation, Mediation during Arbitration Proceedings, and People’s Mediation.[3] The latter is the most known and developed within the country. People’s Mediation conducted by People’s Mediation Committees consists of 900 000 local residents’ self-governed organizations, which function, under Chinese Law, to solve civilian disputes.[4] Their role is to assist parties to reach a settlement by helping them to understand Chinese Law and ensuring that they comply with it, as well as social morals resulting from it. People’s Mediation deals with divorce, inheritance, parental, real property as well as minor criminal cases.
[1] Zeng Li, ‘Promoting Harmony with Conflicts, A study of Reality Television in China’ (Ph.D thesis, Leiden University 2016).
[2] 4th Generation Communist leadership of the People’s Republic of China from 2003 to 2013.
[3]Xiaohua Di and Yuning Wu, ‘The Developing Trend of the People’s Mediation in China (2009) 42 Sociological Focus 228.
[4] Klaus J Hopt, Felix Steffek, Mediation Principles and Regulation in Comparative Prespective (1st edition, OUP, 2013).