You're right, it's hard to take such a complex topic, whose definition does not always match colloquial use, and boil it down to two paragraphs (I guess asking

You're right, it's hard to take such a complex topic, whose definition does not always match colloquial use, and boil it down to two paragraphs (I guess asking for a definition was unfair). Like most debates that people take to polarities there is always an in-between. Back to my China example, they move on the scales whose polarities are laissez-faire and command economy. The Western markets would fall closer to a competitive market than market socialism today. But, In the 90s China was almost more hands off than Western countries. Under Xi the government has consolidated more control and influences the market much more. They are still not a command economy, but also not a fully competitive market, they use markets with "Chinese characteristics."