People Around the Edge of The City The Impact of Governmental Public Policies on Street Artisans

Abstract

In China, there is a group of artisans hidden in the corners of the city, with business replaced by mass manufacturing. They moved to big cities from rural areas with the surge of modernization and urbanization. With lower-income and dwindling customers, they have become marginalized in society, thus being susceptible to changes in governmental policies. This paper explores and analyzes the effect of household registration policy, displacement and resettlement policy, and social security policy on the living and working conditions of the marginalized group living conditions, business, and self-recognition through interviewing seven artisans, including bicycle-repairers, instrument-makers, and paper-cutting artists.