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People have been hoping for this link between freedom and economic development for years about China. It turns out that it's just wishful thinking. China is muc
by Mvandenbergh 9y ago
People have been hoping for this link between freedom and economic development for years about China. It turns out that it's just wishful thinking. China is much richer and no more free than it was decades ago.
- walterbell 9y agoChina has benefited from external IP/technology "inspiration" which is about to result in new trade barriers with the US. If their future growth depends on homegrown (instead of foreign) innovation, they could experiment with freedom within economic development zones.
- pishpash 9y agoThe eras of growth have been the most free in the history of China. People allowed to own land, allowed employment of their choice, allowed to move, and allowed to start private enterprises. There is a one-to-one correlation between how much people are allowed to do and ... what they do.
- scrumption 9y ago>most free >People allowed to own land Not sure the mental gymnastics you have to go through to convince yourself private ownership of land == freedom American by chance?
- SamReidHughes 9y agoIf you own land you can do what you want with it.
- cornholio 9y agoActually, that's not a surprise; throughout history, dictatorships often failed when economic conditions where dire, see the Eastern block, while economic prosperity always consolidated strongmen - Hitler and Putin for example. But the social changes technology and development produce are far reaching, and usually well correlated on the long term with a democratic society. It's hard to care about liberty when you don't have food on the table, and a lower educated and poor person is much more likely to accept authoritarianism as an acceptable compromise. I'm very hopeful for China's future and Hong Kong's peaceful resistance is a model that wil spread.