It's all about labor and capital

The Center for Women Studies' recent proposal at the Central Party School to introduce paternity leave has created a stir among the Chinese media and the public. If introduced, paternity leave will be a dramatic move, for it would challenge the traditional division of labor in Chinese families. Though the proposal has many merits, it has a long way to travel before being introduced, says an article on the website, opinion.hunantv.com. Excerpt:

Though paternity leave sounds like a fairytale in China, many developed countries introduced it long ago because it has quite a few advantages. It helps bring direct benefit to a family: closer relations between children and fathers, and less burden on mothers. Besides, it reflects social progress, especially in gender equality. If her husband is at home, a woman can spend less time caring for their child and more on other work, and hence seek a successful career.

But despite the obvious advantages, the chances of paternity leave being introduced in China is still doubtful. Even if the proposal is made into law and the right is granted to fathers, will it be properly implemented?

Similar to the other forms of paid leaves and labor rights, paternity leave is a right that workers should be entitled to. In practice, however, the imbalance in the status and power of labor and capital makes capital violate even basic labor rights such as annual paid leave. Under existing circumstances, when women can't be ensured of even maternity leave, how can we expect paternity leave to be well implemented?

Since balanced negotiations between labor and capital are very unlikely to be achieved in the short run, paternity leave, despite its merits, will remain just a beautiful idea and a right confined to paper. That's why the most urgent need is not more entitlements but efforts to foster a balanced relation between labor and capital, and pressuring capital to honor basic labor rights.

(China Daily 06/23/2009 page9)