The common factor across most political systems is that political/economic systems tend to carry on with the way they are going until they either proactively re

The common factor across most political systems is that political/economic systems tend to carry on with the way they are going until they either proactively reform or hit a wall (a crisis or crash). The article explains well Japan's faults - without a definitive crash, politicians continued in their support of poor economic policies for a long, long time. A few commenters argue that China is different - it has different features, but the above tendency will prevail here. Chinese politicians, businessmen and economists are hugely invested in a system that is top heavy, vastly corrupt and built around pillars of cheap labour, property/development and credit-based investment. Politically speaking, they are also committed to a system based around media control, repression, lack of debate and 'stability' (ie. no change of the political status quo). My personal fear - my house, family and business are all in China - is that in the face of an economic crisis, we will also see a backwards slide into repression as the party attempts to put an iron grip on the economy AND public opinion. My great hope is that China will see a few years of correction - letting the people's income catch up with the bubbles, supported by a government that is aware of the problems and motivated to act. Let's see...