Comments on: Rich vs Poor, with Chinese Characteristics http://rajpatel.org/2010/01/12/rich-vs-poor-with-chinese-characteristics/ Website and Blog of writer, activist and academic, Raj Patel Mon, 23 Jan 2012 21:46:35 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: admin http://rajpatel.org/2010/01/12/rich-vs-poor-with-chinese-characteristics/comment-page-1/#comment-58 admin Sat, 16 Jan 2010 05:44:36 +0000 http://rajpatel.org/?p=1423#comment-58 Terrific book - enjoyed it (and referenced it in The Value of Nothing). Terrific book – enjoyed it (and referenced it in The Value of Nothing).

]]> By: Penny Walker http://rajpatel.org/2010/01/12/rich-vs-poor-with-chinese-characteristics/comment-page-1/#comment-55 Penny Walker Fri, 15 Jan 2010 09:15:50 +0000 http://rajpatel.org/?p=1423#comment-55 Hi Raj Reading this post made me think of a book I've seen reviewed, which looks at the relative performance on a number of social indicators, of societies which are more and less 'equal'. Maybe you've come across it already? The Spirit Level, by Wilkinson and Pickett. There's a review here. http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2009/apr/05/spirit-level-richard-wilkinson Cheers Penny Hi Raj

Reading this post made me think of a book I’ve seen reviewed, which looks at the relative performance on a number of social indicators, of societies which are more and less ‘equal’. Maybe you’ve come across it already?

The Spirit Level, by Wilkinson and Pickett. There’s a review here.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2009/apr/05/spirit-level-richard-wilkinson

Cheers

Penny

]]> By: Sujata Bajaj http://rajpatel.org/2010/01/12/rich-vs-poor-with-chinese-characteristics/comment-page-1/#comment-49 Sujata Bajaj Wed, 13 Jan 2010 06:51:19 +0000 http://rajpatel.org/?p=1423#comment-49 This reminds me of a book I read in college about China. How the Farmers Changed China: Power of the People by Kate Xiao Zhou Basically the author argues that the Chinese farmer on the commune is the one who drove China to such great economic experimentation - in a nutshell the lack of ownership and reward for farming drove farmers to be entreprenuers on their own. It seems to be happening again - perhaps we in the US expect change to be dramatic and a one event wonder. But perhaps the Chinese have several thousand small events that lead to systemic change for their country. Food for thought. This reminds me of a book I read in college about China.
How the Farmers Changed China: Power of the People
by Kate Xiao Zhou
Basically the author argues that the Chinese farmer on the commune is the one who drove China to such great economic experimentation – in a nutshell the lack of ownership and reward for farming drove farmers to be entreprenuers on their own.
It seems to be happening again – perhaps we in the US expect change to be dramatic and a one event wonder. But perhaps the Chinese have several thousand small events that lead to systemic change for their country. Food for thought.

]]> By: admin http://rajpatel.org/2010/01/12/rich-vs-poor-with-chinese-characteristics/comment-page-1/#comment-46 admin Wed, 13 Jan 2010 03:19:23 +0000 http://rajpatel.org/?p=1423#comment-46 It's true! US corporations are heavily into China. But the actions of Chinese workers is something to be taken as seriously as the actions of US workers. Remember too that China is bigger, steeped in a history of workers' rights, and has long been a venue for struggles for justice. It'd be silly to dismiss the US government as the embodiment of what the US people think - it'd be equally silly to dismiss the Chinese workers' uprisings. What the workers are doing is changing the locks right beneath the eyes of the Chinese government - surely the US labour movement has something to learn from that... It’s true! US corporations are heavily into China. But the actions of Chinese workers is something to be taken as seriously as the actions of US workers. Remember too that China is bigger, steeped in a history of workers’ rights, and has long been a venue for struggles for justice. It’d be silly to dismiss the US government as the embodiment of what the US people think – it’d be equally silly to dismiss the Chinese workers’ uprisings. What the workers are doing is changing the locks right beneath the eyes of the Chinese government – surely the US labour movement has something to learn from that…

]]> By: kers http://rajpatel.org/2010/01/12/rich-vs-poor-with-chinese-characteristics/comment-page-1/#comment-45 kers Wed, 13 Jan 2010 02:59:05 +0000 http://rajpatel.org/?p=1423#comment-45 I really think reports like these are silly. I mean it is like a morbid fascination/schadenfreude in the west with reports like this. The fact is, the US corporate interests actively GOT IN BED with the leaders of the Communist Party in China (they are the only ones who can run the businesses after being payed off). Fact two, China will not be "soft" on mass resentment, and Fact three, the US can't DO anything about it even if China goes into upheaval (in fact American CEOs, and a US gormint hitherto dependent on china constantly lending them money, would BOTH pray it does NOT happen). Yet our media, in attempts to assuage the sheeple put out silly stories like this. The keys to the kingdom have been duplicated a billion times already. change the locks. I really think reports like these are silly. I mean it is like a morbid fascination/schadenfreude in the west with reports like this. The fact is, the US corporate interests actively GOT IN BED with the leaders of the Communist Party in China (they are the only ones who can run the businesses after being payed off). Fact two, China will not be “soft” on mass resentment, and Fact three, the US can’t DO anything about it even if China goes into upheaval (in fact American CEOs, and a US gormint hitherto dependent on china constantly lending them money, would BOTH pray it does NOT happen).

Yet our media, in attempts to assuage the sheeple put out silly stories like this. The keys to the kingdom have been duplicated a billion times already. change the locks.

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