When communists are making fun of your entitlement culture . . .
Chinese political and business leaders are increasingly triumphant after two decades of rapid economic growth that lifted unprecedented millions of people out of poverty and turned the nation into an economic superpower, saying their success proves its political and economic system is superior to the Western model.
In extensive talks with a series of Chinese leaders, an oft-cited point of criticism is the gridlock and “dysfunction” they see in Washington. They say fawning by U.S. political leaders seeking re-election has created an “entitlement culture” where the public has grown dependent on government largesse.
Rich right there.
November 10th, 2011 at 3:34 pm
In many ways China has a system closer to the free market ideal than compared to America. So the real truth is that parts of China’s economic system borrow from the Western model.
Of course, given the chance China’s leaders love to mock the Western countries and point out their flaws. At the same time they conveniently gloss over their flaws (capital punishment without due process, huge gap between the rich and poor with a shrinking or nonexistent middle class, etc etc).
But the irony is definitely there. I just don’t think it’s based on much truth.
November 10th, 2011 at 4:09 pm
China isn’t a communist economy. They are a state capitalist economy.
In fact I don’t see much of what they do as having much to do with communism.
November 10th, 2011 at 4:41 pm
Fucema nailed it on the glossing over their own flaws. I just watched a documentary on how China has whole cities that are unoccupied due to people can’t afford the rent. China might project a hard shell exterior, but truthfully they are losing billions like the rest of the world.
November 10th, 2011 at 5:13 pm
Professor Jacobson had a bit on this not too long ago.
http://legalinsurrection.com/2011/10/when-this-bubble-bursts/
November 10th, 2011 at 5:43 pm
When communists are making fun of your entitlement culture . . .”
…..you just might be a socialist.
…..you just might be stupid.
…..you just might be….(fill in the blank)
November 10th, 2011 at 6:53 pm
Gridlock is a feature, not a bug in our constitution.
November 10th, 2011 at 8:35 pm
While the Chinese have a point, all China has to do is hiccup and a million Chinese starve.
They did produce Mao ya know…
November 10th, 2011 at 8:59 pm
China has a vibrant economy and a totalitarian kleptocracy for a government. The People’s Liberation Army is one of the largest owners of land, housing and companies in the nation. The Communist Party members run what is essentially a nepotistic shakedown of most if not all large businesses – requiring that Party members sit on company Boards of Directors, participating as a matter of course in stock offerings, and receiving desirable placement of relatives in companies. And the Party can shut down a business essentially on whim, making Chicago Aldermen look like choir boys with their power to make companies do what the Party wants.
Of course, compared with North Korea, China at least has more than one family ruining things. So China has that going for themselves….
November 10th, 2011 at 9:00 pm
Yeah well, it’s a matter of degree and of implementation. In either case the subject of property rights has to be marginalized or better yet ignored.
I note that I was the first one to use the “R” word. All the rest of you are “tweakers”– commenting on the material results of this policy or that policy, or this or that form of structure while ignoring the principals.
The Soviets criticized our structure (gridlock) too. So what? Who gives a rat’s ass what a communist, either in China or in the Whitehouse, thinks?
November 10th, 2011 at 9:03 pm
OK mikee came pretty close, but he posted his comment while I was still writing mine and I didn’t see it.
November 10th, 2011 at 9:57 pm
The housing bubble must be scaring the crap out of them. It’s time to whip out their johnson of cultural superiority . Next up: Grievances from the boxer rebellion must be addressed by the imperialists.
November 11th, 2011 at 8:33 am
Technically, China is a fully-formed Fascist state.
November 11th, 2011 at 9:18 am
I’ve got to agree with Bram. Fascist is what seems to best describe China.
Some people are seeing revolution in China’s near future. They say that China needs at least nine percent annual growth to stave off social instability and they are currently in the eights and projected to fall into the sixes within a few years.
In the eighties, it was Japan that supposed to overtake us. Now China. I don’t see a totalitarian economy besting us unless we let them.