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Nitpick: I don't think it's completely accurate to imply that Chinese elites are exclusively interested in economic self-enrichment. Societies where the elites
by bleepblorp 6y ago
Nitpick: I don't think it's completely accurate to imply that Chinese elites are exclusively interested in economic self-enrichment.
Societies where the elites are only interested in stealing everything they can take look like Nigeria (or Mississippi): a tiny sliver of people living in luxury while the rest of the population lives in permanent, abject, squalor.
In contrast, median living standards in China have improved dramatically in living memory. In many cases, the transformation has literally been from mud huts to skyscrapers. The kind of wealth distribution that supported this transformation would not have been possible if China's elites were only interested in self enrichment; if they were, they would have taken the wealth for themselves.
Obviously, China's human rights policies have no redeeming qualities, but its economic policies have benefited the average Chinese citizen. Credit where it's due.
- Hasz 6y agoI would argue that the CCP has largely traded an increased standard of living for the commoners for additional system stability for the elite. It's a small absolute cost to take someone from mud hut to concrete box, but the relative economic multiples for those in charge, multiplied by a few hundred million, are massive. It's also much harder to foment revolution when you've been lifted out of poverty in a generation (even if it's due!)
- readams 6y agoOnly if the elites are very short sighted. You can extract far more wealth if the economy is strong.
- danielheath 6y agoWhoever ends up in charge can extract more wealth. Staying on top is the first problem for any elite.
- SQueeeeeL 6y agoJust a reminder that the managerial class hasn't always existed, and once most of the jobs that require high amounts of skill have been automated away, we'll see a large contraction of middle class back into general impoverished