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Mandarin/Nat Fifty years after the communist revolution in China hundreds of millions of peasants continue to live in poverty. Eroding incomes are fuelling a mass migration from the countryside to the cities. Now, with China on the verge of entering the new millennium, the very peasants who made the founding of the People's Republic of China possible, represent one of the greatest threats to the country's stability. China's Northwestern Shaanxi Province is a land of mountains, shepherds and poor farmers. Despite tree planting campaigns, the earth is dusty, giving way to an encroaching desert. Technological improvement are unheard of across vast swathes of the country and peasants continue to toil and cultivate with their bare hands. This family of seven shares a small plot on which they grow peanuts and corn. Peasants played an important role in China's revolution. But 50 years later, the gross majority of farmers still live in what is sometimes dire poverty. In 1998, the average per capita income in rural areas amounted to a mere 2,160 Yuan (260 U-S dollars). The reasons for this poverty are manifold: poor earth, too little land, too many people. But behind these natural causes also lurk corruption and illegal taxes brought on by reforms and a loosening of central government control. Most peasants are too scared to pinpoint local leaders openly. But all agree that the taxes have become an unbearable and arbitrary burden. SOUNDBITE: (Mandarin) \"Despite all the school fees and other expenses, they still ask for what they call an agricultural tax. They lump all of these taxes together and it's quite a lot. And even though we don't have enough land, they still charge what they want.\" SUPER CAPTION: vox pop, 61 year-old peasant Heirs to a peasant revolution, China's communist leaders are aware of the threat to their rule which rural unrest could bring. During his opening speech at the last National People's Congress (N-P-C) in Beijing, Zhu Rongji referred to the problem and asked that local leaders stop their illegal practices. Officials are studying an overhaul of the tax system to keep cash-starved local governments from fleecing farmers and have begun a nationwide retraining program for bureaucrats. But the heavy, unfair taxes still burden farmers and peasant protests continue to be reported. Taxes are not the only burden brought on by reforms which farmers face. In many villages, the loss of the communes has meant the disappearance of the \"barefoot doctor\" -- roving medics who provided free rudimentary care. Health care is now reaching exorbitant prices. In villages where the importance of hygiene is poorly understood this has become a major problem. Doctors frequently refuse to treat patients who cannot immediately settle their bill. SOUNDBITE: (Mandarin) \"You have to pay money and secretly give gifts to the doctors. You have to bribe the doctors to get medicine to save your life. If you borrow money, you have to pay it back immediately. Labouring people, poor people, you can only get what you can get. If you can't get money, you feel anxious until you fall down and die.\" SUPER CAPTION: vox pop, 60 year-old woman peasant Ordinary farming activities like raising sheep and growing corn barely provide enough income to support a family. To make ends meet, peasants are increasingly leaving the countryside to join the hordes of migrant workers invading China's cities. SOUNDBITE: (Mandarin) \"If we didn't do migrant work, then we couldn't earn enough money. We have to do migrant work.\" SUPER CAPTION: vox pop, 50 year-old peasant According to a recent survey, Beijing alone hosts roughly three (m) million migrant workers. You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/e73e12825e740f2939ba734aa715ee2d Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork