INTRODUCTION:
The use of hydropower; energy harnessed from the movement of water, is a form of energy that many Industrial Countries used during the process of Industrialization.
One of the earliest examples was during the beginning of the Industrial Revolution in Britain, when water was the main source of power for new inventions such as Richard Arkwright’s Water Frame, which provided mechanized power to the textile and manufacturing industry.
The use of hydropower later spread throughout the world, as seen in the American Industrial Revolution, when Samuel Slater set up a textile mill in Rhode Island in 1791, which harnessed the energy of the region’s rivers.
Hydropower continues to be an important source of energy even today, with one of the most famous examples of harnessing it being the Three Gorges Dam, which is located in the Yangtze River of China and plays an important role in China’s Industrialization.
The Three Gorges Dam is a concept almost as old as the People’s Republic of China itself, having been conceived in 1919 by the founder of the People’s Republic of China, Dr. Sun Yat-sen, with the aims of creating a means of flood control in the Yangtze River and harnessing it as a source of energy. Work and policies to create the dam began only in 1958- the start of China’s Great Leap Forward, which is said to be the beginning point of Industrialization in China, when Mao Zedong aimed to rapidly transform the country from an agrarian economy into a socialist society through rapid industrialization and collectivization. However, due to social and political instability in China, resulting from the failure of the Great Leap forward, the Cultural Revolution and domestic and international pressure, the Government postponed and eventually suspended the idea of the project.
Finally, it was not until the government overrode the people’s criticism in the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989, was the idea passed by the National People’s Congress in 1992 by the smallest margin in Chinese history. The Three Gorges Dam was then built over a period of 17 years, where planning activities took place between 1992 to 1997. 1998 to 2003 was devoted to the actual construction of the dam and partial implementation of the hydroelectric facilities, and the hydroelectric facilities were fully implemented between 2003 to 2009.
With its completion, the Three Gorges Dam is currently the world’s largest hydroelectric facility, with the purpose of benefitting China’s economy, environment, and society through providing a means of flood control, clean power generation, navigation, and tourism in the Yangtze River. However, due to the large scale of the project and its many social, political, economical and environmental impacts, the Three Gorges Dam is a great source of political controversy, both locally in China, & Internationally worldwide.
By Muntaha Sabri & Rakshanda Khan
This website aims to talk about the Political, Economic, Social & Environmental aspects of this controversial project.
Below, are some details about what to expect on the different sections of this website.
The use of hydropower; energy harnessed from the movement of water, is a form of energy that many Industrial Countries used during the process of Industrialization.
One of the earliest examples was during the beginning of the Industrial Revolution in Britain, when water was the main source of power for new inventions such as Richard Arkwright’s Water Frame, which provided mechanized power to the textile and manufacturing industry.
The use of hydropower later spread throughout the world, as seen in the American Industrial Revolution, when Samuel Slater set up a textile mill in Rhode Island in 1791, which harnessed the energy of the region’s rivers.
Hydropower continues to be an important source of energy even today, with one of the most famous examples of harnessing it being the Three Gorges Dam, which is located in the Yangtze River of China and plays an important role in China’s Industrialization.
The Three Gorges Dam is a concept almost as old as the People’s Republic of China itself, having been conceived in 1919 by the founder of the People’s Republic of China, Dr. Sun Yat-sen, with the aims of creating a means of flood control in the Yangtze River and harnessing it as a source of energy. Work and policies to create the dam began only in 1958- the start of China’s Great Leap Forward, which is said to be the beginning point of Industrialization in China, when Mao Zedong aimed to rapidly transform the country from an agrarian economy into a socialist society through rapid industrialization and collectivization. However, due to social and political instability in China, resulting from the failure of the Great Leap forward, the Cultural Revolution and domestic and international pressure, the Government postponed and eventually suspended the idea of the project.
Finally, it was not until the government overrode the people’s criticism in the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989, was the idea passed by the National People’s Congress in 1992 by the smallest margin in Chinese history. The Three Gorges Dam was then built over a period of 17 years, where planning activities took place between 1992 to 1997. 1998 to 2003 was devoted to the actual construction of the dam and partial implementation of the hydroelectric facilities, and the hydroelectric facilities were fully implemented between 2003 to 2009.
With its completion, the Three Gorges Dam is currently the world’s largest hydroelectric facility, with the purpose of benefitting China’s economy, environment, and society through providing a means of flood control, clean power generation, navigation, and tourism in the Yangtze River. However, due to the large scale of the project and its many social, political, economical and environmental impacts, the Three Gorges Dam is a great source of political controversy, both locally in China, & Internationally worldwide.
By Muntaha Sabri & Rakshanda Khan
This website aims to talk about the Political, Economic, Social & Environmental aspects of this controversial project.
Below, are some details about what to expect on the different sections of this website.
POLITICAL LENS: by Rakshanda Khan TO WHAT EXTENT HAS POLICY MAKING & IMPLEMENTATION BY THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT, IN RELATION TO THE THREE GORGES DAM, BEEN SUCCESSFUL AND WHY?
What to expect?:
A look at the main policies set by the Chinese Government, in relation to the Three Gorges Dam; the Resettlement program, Human Rights, Cultural and Environmental Laws, and whether or not these have been successful according to the Chinese Government and other related parties (the people, International Organisations), and why?
What to expect?:
A look at the main policies set by the Chinese Government, in relation to the Three Gorges Dam; the Resettlement program, Human Rights, Cultural and Environmental Laws, and whether or not these have been successful according to the Chinese Government and other related parties (the people, International Organisations), and why?
ECONOMIC LENS: by Syafiqah Sukri “The Three Gorges Dam benefited to the Chinese economic”. To what extent do you agree with the statement above?
What to expect?:
Flood happened to occur often near the Yangtze River which danger the citizens. The Chinese government made a decision to build a dam that would decrease the flood, however by constructing the three gorges dam, China’s economy got into crises and needing loan from the outsiders. Banks, companies and governments from mostly in Europe and Asia helped fund the three gorges dam. The farming agriculture was benefited however, the there was an economic downturn, China loses money due to the flood of fertile farming.
What to expect?:
Flood happened to occur often near the Yangtze River which danger the citizens. The Chinese government made a decision to build a dam that would decrease the flood, however by constructing the three gorges dam, China’s economy got into crises and needing loan from the outsiders. Banks, companies and governments from mostly in Europe and Asia helped fund the three gorges dam. The farming agriculture was benefited however, the there was an economic downturn, China loses money due to the flood of fertile farming.
SOCIAL LENS: by Chanel Coetzee
To what extent were the lives of those residents living next to the dam affected by the creation of the new three gorges dam hydro power plant in China?
What to expect?: As the people were forced to move from there homes by the government those residents were then left jobless and had to follow resettlement rules and also those who were lucky enough to get a job were paid a very low salary and also had land regulations and laws set by the government.
To what extent were the lives of those residents living next to the dam affected by the creation of the new three gorges dam hydro power plant in China?
What to expect?: As the people were forced to move from there homes by the government those residents were then left jobless and had to follow resettlement rules and also those who were lucky enough to get a job were paid a very low salary and also had land regulations and laws set by the government.
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ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS: by Muntaha Sabri
To what extent was the Three Gorges Dam beneficial to China's environment?
As a hydroelectric facility, the Three Gorges Dam was designed to aid in reducing China's consumption of coal to reduce its generation of pollution, while providing energy to the less economically developed areas of Central and Eastern China and controlling floods along the Yangtze River. However, due to the large scale of the project to build the dam, as well as its size, the Three Gorges Dam has resulted in multiple environmental consequences that have contributed to it being a topic of controversy. And despite being designed to reduce China’s output of pollution and reduce the geographical threats within the Three Gorges Reservoir Region, the environmental consequences of the Three Gorges Dam drastically outweigh its benefits because the Three Gorges Dam directly causing the destruction of the Three Gorges Reservoir Region.
To what extent was the Three Gorges Dam beneficial to China's environment?
As a hydroelectric facility, the Three Gorges Dam was designed to aid in reducing China's consumption of coal to reduce its generation of pollution, while providing energy to the less economically developed areas of Central and Eastern China and controlling floods along the Yangtze River. However, due to the large scale of the project to build the dam, as well as its size, the Three Gorges Dam has resulted in multiple environmental consequences that have contributed to it being a topic of controversy. And despite being designed to reduce China’s output of pollution and reduce the geographical threats within the Three Gorges Reservoir Region, the environmental consequences of the Three Gorges Dam drastically outweigh its benefits because the Three Gorges Dam directly causing the destruction of the Three Gorges Reservoir Region.