Is China more capitalist or communist?

[Howard_Roark]

I'm a huge fan of Jim Rogers, he's 2nd only to Ron Paul in number of YouTube clips I've watched of him. He says China is more caplitalist than the US right now, it doesn't have healthcare, social security etc.

But China still controls the banks, media and does heavy censorship. The main thing I don't get though is how China can be capitalist when every single major company in China is a state-owned enterprise, even if you see it on a stock exchange its usually 80% owned by the CPC. I don't understand how you can have a free economy when the government owns all the major players, how can entrepreneurs in China compete when the CPC banks etc will always favor the SOE's?

[Petar]

China is quite Fascist, which is much closer to Communism than Capitalism, in my opinion.

USA is also Fascistic, but to a much lesser degree, so I believe that USA is much closer to Capitalism than China, but is still far from Capitalist.

[dwdollar]

It's both. Dichotomy is literally a religion for many Chinese.



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[Petar]

It's both. Dichotomy is literally a religion for many Chinese.



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The hypocrisy of "Zen"?

[Natalie]

My uncle lives in China for half of the year, and he says China is only Communist in name, just like the US is only Capitalist in name. He says China is more Capitalist than the US. I don't really know though.

[Old Ducker]

based on what I know and have heard from others who have extensive experience with both countries, the US still has the advantage in law and its effective administration (knowing what the rules are and lack of official corruption, at least on the state and local levels).

On the other hand, it's easier to start a business in China and do as you like, as long as you're not a threat to the authorities. Taxes are lower and there is far less bullshit in terms of standards, permits and rules.

Basically both the US and China are fascist countries. The difference is that the US has evolved from a Republic and there are vestiges that remain. China is going in the opposite direction, starting fom the most vicious totalitarian regime in history, with the exception of Cambodia.

[silverhandorder]

In China it is more or less excepted that you can bribe officials. Even in Confucian era it was a big thing there.

[Che]

Yes, China is based on communistic principles, they read upon Communist Manifesto and Karl Marx to solve all of their economic problems. Yea.. right.. Ideals, who give a fk
YouTube - Network - "There is no democracy" [english subtitles] (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RzSj1yNZdY8)

[ibaghdadi]

Basically both the US and China are fascist countries. The difference is that the US has evolved from a Republic and there are vestiges that remain. China is going in the opposite direction, starting fom the most vicious totalitarian regime in history, with the exception of Cambodia.

Best answer so far.

Saved me the trouble of writing my own reply...


Iyad

[Baptist]

In my opinion it would be hard to say one is more capitalist than another. As pointed out, there is no Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, etc in China.

As another example of capitalism in China, you actually have to pay cash when you buy a car. I have family there and they had to save money for two years so that they could buy a car. Here in America the Fed prints money, gives it to their friends, who then give it to smaller banks, who then give us cheap loans to buy cars. When it comes to buying cars, China is more capitalist. If the market set prices for cars, I'm sure that most Americans would not be willing to pay the market interest rates, so most of us would save our money and just purchase them outright like in China.

[Marenco]

Both are bad.

[RonPaulCult]

I follow Jim Rogers also, and what I always hear him say is that they are BETTER capitalists than we are. There's no question about that.

[Petar]

I really think that one of the main things that defines a free market is the protection of individual rights, so that people are literally free to trade things within this framework.

China is much more oppressive towards its average citizen, and this is what I think makes it much more fascistic than the USA, and therefore much less of a free-market with capitalism.

[ibaghdadi]

I follow Jim Rogers also, and what I always hear him say is that they are BETTER capitalists than we are. There's no question about that.

Jim Rogers loves China, I know.

But I'd be very uncomfortable calling China "capitalist". Large swathes of its economy are government controlled; its foreign investments for one are government run, which is why they are in such a bind with the US now.

But I salute the OP for raising such an important and thought provoking topic. I guess the real question would be: just how "communist" is China, anyway?


Iyad