What matters is equal chance for competition

There are always disadvantaged groups of people in every society at any time. Undoubtedly, it is necessary for the public to know about their lives. But it is unrealistic and inane for the government to lend a hand to the disadvantaged before clarifying whether their plight is a result of any injustice from State policy.

The book Yizu (meaning "ant tribe") is an investigation into the lives of college graduates who live in suburban villages of big cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Nanjing, Tianjin and Xi'an. They work in various jobs, from selling insurance, delivering goods, and as salespeople. Their income is predictably lower than the average for graduates working in big cities.

With inadequate means of living, they choose to share a house for a monthly rent of 200 or 300 yuan ($29-$44), forming what is called an "ant tribe", the label for hundreds or even thousands of graduates or students who cluster like ants in a single village.