Before you understand anything about life…

When in history did it become possible for Chinese people to afford a proper warm coat?

Historically, the broad stabilization of the Chinese population to the point where an average person—specifically a university student—could reliably afford their own proper winter coats and leather shoes coincided with the economic reforms of the late 1970s and 1980s. [1, 2]

However, looking at the intersections of university access, economic class, and basic clothing tells a more complex story across three distinct historical eras:

1. The Imperial and Republican Eras (Before 1949): Elitist Affordability

Before the mid-20th century, modern higher education in China was almost exclusively reserved for the wealthy elite. [1]

• The Clothes: In the early 20th century, the standard university uniform for men was the Zhongshan(Mao) suit or long gowns paired with Western leather shoes, while women wore the Wenmingxinzhuang(civilized new outfits) or early Qipao. [1, 2, 3]
• The Reality: Anyone who was able to attend a university during this time already came from a privileged background that could easily afford high-quality tailoring, leather shoes, and heavy winter coats. The vast majority of the general Chinese population, however, was impoverished, often wearing straw shoes, cloth shoes, or repurposed rags. [1]

2. The Early Mao Era (1949–1976): State Provision over "Affordability"

Following the founding of the People's Republic of China, higher education was restructured to include children of workers and peasants. [1]

• The Clothes: Affordability was heavily regulated through strict fabric rationing (using coupon systems). Students and citizens wore functionally identical, plain attire: the iconic blue or gray cotton-padded overcoats, Lenin suits, and basic canvas or rubber-soled shoes. [1, 2]
• The Reality: Students did not "afford" these items through disposable market income. Instead, the state heavily subsidized or directly allocated basic necessities to university students. While students were guaranteed enough clothing to survive the winters, choices were entirely restricted by rationing, and premium leather shoes or luxury wool coats were non-existent for the average student. [1, 2, 3]

3. Post-1978 Reform and Opening Up: True Market Affordability

The real transition to personal financial capability occurred after Deng Xiaoping’s economic reforms in 1978. [1]

• The Collapse of Rationing: As China's textile production boomed and the market liberalized, fabric and clothing rationing systems were gradually phased out by the mid-1980s.
• Mass Production: For the first time, mass-manufactured leather shoes and insulated winter coats (and later, down jackets) became affordable to the working-class families whose children were entering universities. [1, 2]
• The Modern Standard: By the 1990s, western-style winter coats, sports sneakers, and leather dress shoes transitioned from luxury status symbols into basic, baseline necessities for any university student in China. [1, 2]

If you are researching a specific period or family history, let me know:

• Are you looking into a specific decade (e.g., the 1950s vs. the 1980s)?
• Are you interested in the history of textile rationing in China?

I can provide deeper data or cultural context based on what you need next.

Go study the Industrial Revolution, especially cloth, textiles, wool, steel, coal, steam engines, tableware, crockery, stainless cutlery, knifes, boots and shoes. And study the history of manufacturing in general.

And then study the history of literacy. And what literacy means, and the standardisation of language.

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These Chinese were shivering in the cold until recently. And their Malthusian policies actually encouraged this for a very long time.

And they only just became literate all of ten minutes ago.

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If someone is horrible, over proud, under competent, retarded, mean and difficult, slightly retarded. It’s okay to criticise them.

The Industrial Revolution made consumer goods widely affordable. It was exported to them. But they screwed it up until the 80s. Industrial Revolution: made consumer goods available to the masses!

Patrick Alitt’s Industrial Revolution course is a good one! Available on great courses.