Shanghainese join the countryside during the Cultural Revolution

law - Urban rights for waidi ren

During the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976) Mao Zedong sent the spoiled urbanites to the countryside, but those days are long over. The different legal status of the urbanites and the 'waidi ren', symbolized by the 'Hukou', has been one of China's largest problems, as also the sociologist Li Yinhe pointed earlier this week.
The plans to end that legal divide, at least in part, sounds rather revolutionary. The Chinese media started to make all the right noises today. From the International Herald Tribune:

"In today's China, many urban ills are not results of opening residency restrictions, they come from migrants being treated unequally once they enter cities," the China Youth Daily said.

It might be a way to end the divide legally, a way to tackle social problems, but since it also reflects the deepfelt despise by urbanites for the waidiren, pushing for that change might not be that easy.

Update: More information on the change of the hukou system at the IHT.