Rhino123
Few questions,
Are you Chinese? If so, have you actually lived in China and worked? And I'm not talking about working for your family business.
I'm Chinese-Canadian, lived in Canada for my larger portion of life, since five, and been working in China for a US-public company for the past two years. My grandma was Mao's personal French translator during late 60s and early 70s. So you can imagine I had all the CCP movies shoved in to me.
If you aren't Chinese, it is like a Chinese person's understanding of Jews. Have you studied this in university (with debates etc)?
Bobcou,
I am not Rhino123, but I am Chinese. I was born in Shanghai, and moved to Canada with my parents when I was eight years old. All my grandparents, my uncles and aunts, and my cousins remain in China. My wife is from Henan, and she came to Canada 6 years ago to study.
My father's family is from rural Shanghai. My paternal grandparents came from a dirt poor village. My mother's family is the typical "intellectual" (知识分子）family. My maternal grandparents are both educators: my grandfather a university professor, and my grandmother a high school "literature" (语文）teacher. Due to their intellectual background, my mother's family was classified as one of the "five black classes" (黑五类）during the cultural revolution. I grew up with stories of my mother's family's hardships during those times.
Now that I have established my credentials, I'd like to comment on some of your views.
I don't know what you mean by great advancements. This issue, there is no way you could be convinced unless you experienced it yourself. If you don't know already, the Chinese economy is called a Command Economy. It is controlled by the central government, all the major top 10 stocks in Shanghai are government owned. The government has better control on the economy cause it has the authority. If you are an outsider, YOU AREN'T SUPPOSE TO SEE IT. Thats the point of a command economy. China's position isn't any better than the US, it just has more control and can hide it.
All evidence contradicts you. Hundreds of millions of lives have been improved in a span of 30 years. Ask anyone in China, and they will tell you of the advancements experienced in the last 3 decades. If you don't know what is meant by "great advancements", then you are being willfully blind.
China's position is nothing like the US. Yes, Chinese economy is controlled, but it is far from a state-controlled economy, as anyone, Chinese or foreigner alike, who is familiar with the Chinese economy will tell you. The fact that the top 10 stocks in Shanghai are government owned does not mean a state-controlled economy. On the contrary, it means that state-owned enterprises are efficient and stable enough to attract a lot of investors!
Where the US government puts in billions of dollars to bail out financial institutions, the Chinese government spent billions of dollars on building infrastructure: highways, high speed rails, subways, cultural and tourism infrastructures like the Shanghai World Expo. The former just puts more money in the super-wealthy, while the latter builds enduring tools that churn the economy along. Infrastructures don't disappear on a market crash!
If you are comparing 1949 and 1970, okay, people are still being locked away with the Cultural Revolution. My grandpa was locked in prison for being in the KMT headquarters for two years while my Mom was tending the fields and eating plain corn flour soup everyday. This was during the 1970s! My dads CCP side was living right outside a prestigious hospital and lived a good life and got generous pensions in Beijing. Yeah, I guess you are right! 1970s was better, for the CCP!
No one said the 1970s was better. You need to reread Rhino's post!
The reason I mention it is corrupt, first I agree, anything human touches; it will become corrupt. I am Chinese! Long time ago in bullshit high school everyone is like "Asian pride" etc, I don't know. Being a Chinese educated outside and going back to home country, it is a saddening feeling sometimes. We boast our old country too much, without actually going back and seeing how it is. I am passionate about this cause this is my ethnic origin! I could barely do two paragraphs if you ask me why the Jews must settle in Israel. Too long of a history, lack of empathy and interest.
What's your point? How does that relate to corruption at all?
And for the present, villagers are moving to central city to work. Guys are going in construction, Girls are selling their bodies at karaoke. Just like Taiwan in the 90s, and Hong Kong in the 80s. Workers are coming to the city WITHOUT any type of insurance. CCP doesn't represent the people, they just want to remain in power. And their only power is to keep the economy growing. If there is ever like a Recession in the States, (ie. US has 15 million unemployed); imagine how 15 million UNINSURED VILLAGERS in cities would do. Of course you would have to multiple that 15 million cause China has much more than that. Back in March 2010, Beijing set a bylaw that WJ (Wujin) cars cannot park outside Karaoke Bars. Yes, it was THAT bad.
Taiwan and Hong Kong are both doing quite well these days, so I don't see how that's supposed to be a negative. Men may be going into construction, but you watch way too many movies if you think girls mostly prostitute themselves. Prostitution is on the rise in China, and it is often talked about in the media, but the vast majority of rural girls go to cities to work as restaurant waiters, sales associates, nannies, etc. By thinking that most girls go to work at karaoke bars just shows how ignorant you are of the realities.
It's also ludicrous to compare the US with China, when both are in completely different situations. The fact that an economic recession of be BAD to the CCP gives the Chinese government a very strong incentive to keep the economy strong. On the other hand, when the economy tanks, the US politicians first reaction is to find someone else to blame, whether that someone is the Democrats, the Republicans, or China.
And what the hell does Beijing having a bylaw about parking outside Karaoke Bars have to do with anything?
For example, go look up South China Mall (新华南). Dongguan, first is the Macao of inland China. Except its 3 star service 5 star happy love long time satisfaction. You could just say the made the worlds second largest mall without any adequate planning? The real reason, is that Dongguan is the sleasiest piece of shit place back in the early 2000s. Robbery was done broad day light with people in mopedes. Robbed everyone, and the local police didn't care. They couldn't. It is currently where a lot of clothing is made, hefty percentage of Guangdong manufacturing for clothing is done there. This was done to increase jobs, go read some descriptions about it, cause it was a massive project. Promoted employment. This got news cause it is big project internationall without mentioning why the officials did it. And for reference, Dongguan is better and safer now than before.
Again, what's your point?
The Western Rail high speed from Guangdong to Wuhan (and expanding) are also massive projects ot promote jobs. Yes, this is good, but you have to also understand it is increasing about of pressure. Roads are being built, and then torn up, and then rebuilt again to show economic growth. Buildings are being torn down and rebuilt as well.
If it's good, then it's good, period. What pressure is it increasing, and why would that be bad? Buildings are torn down and rebuilt? That's called development: you do realize that huge numbers of Chinese still live in decrepit houses?
China right now, is like the movie "Speed" if you have seen it, with Keanu Reeves. If the economy stops, CCP will be in trouble. Deep trouble.
Like I said above, THAT'S A GOOD THING! A country is in trouble when the economy can tank and the government ISN'T in trouble!
