Implications Of Graduate Unemployment On Social Stability In Chongqing, China

From1999to2011, the number of graduates from China’s universities increased more than600%. Because the number of graduates exceeded the needs of the market, it caused a severe employment problem and endangered China’s social stability. This issue has received a great deal of attention in both the Chinese and western media. However, most of the research on the employment problem approaches it from the angle of population pressure. By contrast, this paper takes the city of Chongqing as a case study, and uses interviews and surveys to provide an independent measure of graduates’satisfaction with the job market. Using the concept of "frustration theory" from the field of revolution theory, the author then analyzes the data, beginning at the individual level where discontent occurs. Finally the author provides a comparison with official statistics and current mainstream opinions, to determine how successful China’s university expansion has been, what obstacles remain for college graduates in finding work, and the influence of this problem on China’s social stability.