Randy Olson, Melissa Farlow Photography

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Aerial photo shows rows of identical houses in Huaxi Village (Farmer’s Village). It is emblematic of the beginning of the massive urbanization of China and of the largest human migration in history from the rural areas of China into the cities. In 2008, these workers villas in wealthy Huaxi village included some of the industries in the background. Villagers didn't migrate because they changed their model rural farm into a modern industrial city.

This co-op has been a model farm for 45 years. They were capitalists before it was legal in China. They started factories, but worked in them with no windows in secret. When government officials came to inspect, they sent all the workers out to the fields and disguised the factories. Huaxi became the first and most successful capitalist exploitation of the collective. This model farm became so successful they started selling shares in the 60's. They sold the shares "underground" The residents now buy shares or work for shares to purchase these homes. When shares were first offered, they went for 2000RMB, now they go for 30,000 RMB. In 2008, 30,000 officials visited this place to see how it runs effectively. There are not many model farms left in China, and none with this wealth. The model farm runs about 80 factories and In 2008, Huaxi was held up by the government as the most successful transition from farmer to the socialist/capitalist world. But more recently, in the face of economic pressures, Huaxi Village has gone bankrupt.

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Randy Olson
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https://olsonfarlow.com
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Contained in galleries
Home Page Files, 7 Billion of Us in 2011_National Geographic Magazine 1/2011
Aerial photo shows rows of identical houses in Huaxi Village (Farmer’s Village). It is emblematic of the beginning of the massive urbanization of China and of the largest human migration in history from the rural areas of China into the cities. In 2008, these workers villas in wealthy Huaxi village included some of the industries in the background. Villagers didn't migrate because they changed their model rural farm into a modern industrial city. <br /> <br /> This co-op has been a model farm for 45 years. They were capitalists before it was legal in China. They started factories, but worked in them with no windows in secret. When government officials came to inspect, they sent all the workers out to the fields and disguised the factories. Huaxi became the first and most successful capitalist exploitation of the collective. This model farm became so successful they started selling shares in the 60's. They sold the shares "underground" The residents now buy shares or work for shares to purchase these homes. When shares were first offered, they went for 2000RMB, now they go for 30,000 RMB. In 2008, 30,000 officials visited this place to see how it runs effectively. There are not many model farms left in China, and none with this wealth. The model farm runs about 80 factories and In 2008, Huaxi was held up by the government as the most successful transition from farmer to the socialist/capitalist world. But more recently, in the face of economic pressures, Huaxi Village has gone bankrupt.