Beijing: urban transport issues in a socialist Third World setting (1949–1992)

Abstract

Post-1949 development of urban transport in Beijing, the national capital of the People's Republic of China, has been for a long time shaped by the ideology of the Chinese communists, in a setting of rapid urban growth and industrialization with general neglect of the ‘consumption’ needs of the urban populace. The Old City of feudal Beijing which the municipality inherited in 1949 and the need to preserve its pre-industrial street pattern, set by the city wall and the former Imperial Court (the Forbidden City), for historical and cultural reasons added another interesting and almost insurmountable constraint to the city's urban transport development. This paper provides a comprehensive analysis of the situation and development of urban transport in the city from 1949 to 1992, outlining its major characteristics and problems. The effects of the new Open Door and modernization policies since 1978 and their impact on a new approach emphasizing market forces are evaluated. Wherever feasible, comparative figures and materials from the western and Third World city are used to provide better appreciation of Beijing's situation. The experience of the new policy of Market Socialism that started in 1978 provides valuable evidence for other large Third World cities.