Dependent and independent variables
The dependent variable that can be observed from the articles is the use of the death penalty for crimes committed in China. China is well known for their harsh sentences for many criminal offenses. Capital punishment is the universal rule, thereby causing the country to execute many people per year. The independent variable can be observed to be a cause of the dependent variable, which is the effect.
The first independent variable is murder crimes that are punishable by death penalty. In China, they have strict laws when it comes to any crimes related to murder. Examples of these crimes are kidnapping causing deaths, armed robberies causing deaths, endangering public safety, and hijacking aircraft causing deaths (Ma 2014, p.2).
The second independent variable is the moral panic brought on by the increase of crimes in China during the early 1980s (Bakken 2014, p.67). This fact caused the government to make swift actions in order to curb the crimes by imposing death penalties and harsh punishments. In the 1980s, there was an increase of offenses such as economic crimes and juvenile crimes that threatened the stability of the nation. The increase of crimes brought about the moral panic among people. According to the society, the juvenile crimes were threatening the societal values and interest.
The third independent variable is the crime of child trafficking in China. This crime is punishable by death sentence or life imprisonment. In the Republic of China during the 1900s, child trafficking was very common in that some other countries view it as a tradition for them (Shen 2013, p.2). The trafficking business died down during the 1960s, but boomed again in the 1980s. People who were captured for these crimes increased dramatically, thereby, causing worry among the people. The problem has continued to persist even in the modern world. This is the reason why the government had to change their laws in order to reduce traffic cases in the country. The laws made it clear that anybody who was arrested and charged with trafficking would receive the death penalty.
Hypothesis and explanations
In China, it can be observed to be a very strict country that has formulated strict punishments for crimes. This is the reason why the dependent variable that can be seen from China is the death penalty punishment. The first hypothesis indicates that all the crimes that will endanger the lives of citizens or deaths in China will receive the death penalty. The two variables are connected when it comes to the sentencing of the crimes. The judge has the option to either impose the death penalty or other forms of punishment to suspected criminals. However, according to the laws any crime that causes the death of a person becomes mandatory for them to be given the death penalty. It is claimed that in the Chinas death penalty system, there is the option of the Sihuan where a death sentence with a two-year suspension can be changed to a life imprisonment if the offender does not commit any crimes (Ma 2014, p.3). This rule has gained momentum due to the policies of killing fewer people began to be used.
The moral panic of people in China increased in the early 1980s due to the rise in juvenile crimes. This thereby prompted the government to start imposing harsh punishments for anyone who was arrested and sentenced. Most of the punishments were the death penalty, which was conducted in large numbers. The alarmist in the nation showed the government the number of cases that had been unresolved therefore, shaming them. This fact could be another reason that brought about the introduction of the death penalties. It is claimed that moral panic was also brought on by their traditional beliefs and values. According to some of the Chinese beliefs is that by airing their evil deeds it would lead to the reduction of the crimes in the nation (Bakken 2014, p.68).
When it comes to the independent variable of trafficking of people in China, it can be observed to be very common and is well known by other nations. This fact can be stemmed from their history. Its popularity has caused the government to step in and find better solutions. One of the solutions comes from imposing harsh punishments such as the death penalty for people who have been arrested for committing these crimes (Shen 2013, p.3). Some of the purposes of trafficking children and women is what caused the government to impose the punishments. Examples are sexual exploitation of minors, which can be punishable by death and by using children to commit street crimes.
Summary and evaluation of an empirical journal
The article was written by Trent Bax and is called the Internet Addiction in China: The Battle for the Hearts and Minds of Youth. The articles, the main function, is to analyze the world of the people who have been labeled as the internet addicts of China. It is believed that the youths who are addicted to the internet have trouble with being normal functioning people in the society. Therefore, it means that the children in China have formed a relationship with the internet. It is estimated that millions of youths have engrossed themselves with the internet. Some of those youths have become glued to the internet in that it brought about the term of internet addiction. This problem increased in that by 2007 it got the attention of the President Hu Jintao. Hence, he vowed to purify the internet (Bax 2014, p.688).
Research method
The article states that Tao Hongkai conducted the research. Tao was famous among parents because he was able to help some youths to transform from their addiction of the internet to turn to their normal lives. The participants used in the research were the youths or children, he encountered and tried to help. In the analysis, he stated that there are many causes of the addiction. One of the causes is parent’s behaviors who reward their children with material things such as the computer after they have performed well in school. This means that the parents are more concerned with grades of the children.
Tao used the qualitative research method to reading over fifty out of three thousand letters that were written to him randomly. From the letters, it can be observed that adolescent was the most affected. The reason for this is because of the pressure that has been imposed on them by school work and dysfunctional families; therefore, they sought out refuge on the internet. An example, could be from the letter written by Xiao Chuan, who is sixteen-years-old. He wrote a letter to his parents where he stated that his life was thwarted. According to him, school work was hard and by using the internet he was escaping the reality that he was failing (Bax 2014, p.691). His online friends became more important than the family meaning he was having trouble relating to his family.
Another letter came from Xiao Wang, who shows signs that he was having social problems. He considers himself to be fat and believes that everyone else sees him in that manner (Bax 2014, p.694). He has the pressure to do more in the society and thus putting himself in isolation. When on the internet he has a feeling of belonging where he does not have any obligations or restrictions. Moreover, in the virtual world, he is not discriminated.
The parent’s letters show that they believed that the problem was an illness that was ruining the lives of their children. It is a fact that in China parents have firm beliefs that education is vital to secure the future of the child. This fact makes them concentrate on the grades of the children. Therefore, the internet serves as a distraction for the children. They have used all the punishment methods they know in order to stop the addiction. However, it never worked, and that is the reason they believe that the addiction is a disease (Bax 2014, p.696).
In conclusion, the author of the research has provided the direction of the research conducted. The research shows that the education system is one of the major factors that causes the children or youths to be addicted to the internet. In the modern schools, parents and teachers are concentrating on increasing the grades of children. Therefore, more pressure is applied in schools and at home. This fact causes children to seek solace on the internet. The article is providing some of the guidelines of what causes internet addiction and provides room for more research to be conducted on how to treat it.
Evaluation of the article
The article is well written and can be easily understood by anyone. It provides all the information that one needs to the causes and problems associated with internet addiction in China. In the article, one of the best arguments has to do with changing parents' beliefs that grades are the most important thing in the world. By changing this view, many children will not be stressed when they go to school, and thus, they will not find an alternative place where they can relieve their problems. According to the research, it can be observed from the results that most of the youths were stressed out with their school work and home conditions (Bax 2014, p.700). This shows that there is a need for changes to occur in this area.
Reference
Bakken, Borge. 2014. Moral Panics, Crime Rates and Harsh Punishment in China. Australian Academic Press, p.67-85.
Bax, Trent. 2014. Internet Addiction in China: The Battle for the Hearts and Minds of Youth. Riuteledge Taylor & Francis Group, p.687-701.
Ma, Chenjie. 2014. China’s Death Penalty Practice Undermines the Integrity of the Death Penalty as a Sentencing Option. Australian Journal of Asian Law, p.1-8.
Shen, Anqi. 2013. China’s stolen children: internal child trafficking in the People’s Republic of China. Springer, p.31-45.
