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> the average US citizen would still be better off than the average Chinese citizen By what metrics? As an example, longevity is slightly higher in China than
by pastacacioepepe 4y ago
> the average US citizen would still be better off than the average Chinese citizen
By what metrics? As an example, longevity is slightly higher in China than in US (77.30 years vs 77), it is GROWING in China while decreasing in US, or china has a transportation system that is orders of magnitude better than the US one. Ever heard of the high speed train system and how quickly was it built?
Median income alone isn't enough to judge the quality of life of a country. I'd rather be poorer but live longer and in a country that works also for non-millionaires, but you can take more money with the lower longevity if you prefer.
- refurb 4y agoYou realize vast swaths of China’s population are pretty much rural farmers living of less than $5,000 per year right?
- pastacacioepepe 4y agoThe poverty rate in US is ~14%, that's tens of millions of Americans living in poverty. Comparing incomes directly doesn't help, how much can $5k buy you in China vs how much can the poverty level income buy you in US?
- Consultant32452 4y agoOkay, let's assume there's total economic equality between Americans and Chinese. In China if you're the wrong religion they put your men in prison camps and assign a rapist to sleep in bed with your women and indoctrinate them into the communist party. If you are in prison, China will murder you and sell your organs. In China the labor conditions are so bad they have to install "suicide nets" in factories because so many people try to jump out of windows or off roofs to kill themselves. America has MANY warts, but there's really no comparison.
- pastacacioepepe 4y agoIt's pointless to get into a competition for who's worst. I disagree at least partially on each one of your points and could reply with something equally bad or worse that's happening right now in the US, but I won't as we're talking about economics, not unsourced genocide claims.
- refurb 4y agoYou're not arguing that poverty in the US is comparable to poverty in China are you?
- pastacacioepepe 4y agoYou're not bombing me with uninteresting rethorical questions are you?
- thematrixturtle 4y agoThe Per capita income of the United States is 5.78 and 3.61 times higher than that of China in nominal and PPP terms, respectively. So the answer is that even in purchasing power parity terms, the average American is 4x richer.
- pastacacioepepe 4y agoExcept that in the US it just takes some health issue to put you in debt for years/life. Or that to exist in the US you are required to buy a car and so on, since it has a third world public transportation system. The pont being that you can still have somewhat higher life standards with less purchasing power but a stronger social state.
- refurb 4y agoExcept if you’re one of the 60% rural farmers who have access to only the most basic medical care and limited local public transit. Not everyone lives in Shanghai or Beijing you know.
- pastacacioepepe 4y agoLike not everyone lives in Los Angeles or Washington you know. There's cities like Detroit, there's cities without drinkable water, there's countless trailer parks.