Capitalism in China
Joseph Schumpeter wrote in Capitalism, Socialism and Democracy:
"My final conclusion [that capitalism will be replaced by some form of socialism] therefore does not differ, however much my argument may, from that of most socialist writers and in particular from that of all Marxists. But in order to accept it one does not need to be a socialist. Prognosis does not imply anything about the desirability of the course of events that one predicts." (1942, p. 61)
The economic wealth that capitalism creates doesn't come unaccompanied. It produces two by-products: 1) a tendency for women to have fewer children and 2) a growing disparity between the haves and the have nots (inequality). Figures tend to suppport this and, in this sense, Schumpeter and Marx might both be right with their conclusions and their arguments.
China, despite all the talk about its current economic progress (in aggregate), is particulary affected by both of these by-products. It is interesting to note that while the world is obsessed with China's economic growth, the China government is extremely concerned about the internal weaknesses building up within China's society: peasants who resent their second-class status and spoilt little rich kids with no brothers, sisters or cousins, and little desire to have kids of their own in future. The "i" in China is growing in tandem with its economic development.
Johns Hopkins University has a couple of fascinating podcasts on China. These are a must listen for anybody interested in looking beyond the facade of Shanghai's curtain-walled cityscape.
China Rising I
China Rising II
.
"My final conclusion [that capitalism will be replaced by some form of socialism] therefore does not differ, however much my argument may, from that of most socialist writers and in particular from that of all Marxists. But in order to accept it one does not need to be a socialist. Prognosis does not imply anything about the desirability of the course of events that one predicts." (1942, p. 61)
The economic wealth that capitalism creates doesn't come unaccompanied. It produces two by-products: 1) a tendency for women to have fewer children and 2) a growing disparity between the haves and the have nots (inequality). Figures tend to suppport this and, in this sense, Schumpeter and Marx might both be right with their conclusions and their arguments.
China, despite all the talk about its current economic progress (in aggregate), is particulary affected by both of these by-products. It is interesting to note that while the world is obsessed with China's economic growth, the China government is extremely concerned about the internal weaknesses building up within China's society: peasants who resent their second-class status and spoilt little rich kids with no brothers, sisters or cousins, and little desire to have kids of their own in future. The "i" in China is growing in tandem with its economic development.
Johns Hopkins University has a couple of fascinating podcasts on China. These are a must listen for anybody interested in looking beyond the facade of Shanghai's curtain-walled cityscape.
China Rising I
China Rising II
.
Labels: innovation
posted by Gordon Graham at 6:54 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home