(1) Re <<Did I say China was communist? I said China was totalitarian and squashes all dissent that it deems threatening. Clearly, China is going through a capitalist phase. How long that will last is anyone's guess? Only Xi knows, I suppose.>>
(1-i) I may have misunderstood you re whether China is or is not communist.
Message 33249211
<<At this point, I am sure there are lots of people who use to live in Mainland China who now live in Hong Kong. And I am sure some are communist sympathizers and quite tolerant and forgiving of China's rule.>>
Message 32172709
<<China is a communist country playing around with capitalism on its terms.>>
Perhaps you meant that China is practical about -isms, in which case I understand.
(1-ii) China is not totalitarian, exactly, but authoritarian, almost certainly. Big country, difficult to organise and hard to point in any useful direction. Would not want to see China doing an India.
(1-iii) Capitalism runs its course as well, and am guessing that should have / have-not not preemted from going critical, can expect problems. One thing I give credit to Xi is that he definitely did crack down hard on corruption. Was and is necessary. Whatever it takes to do that, just do it, or all else lost.
Introduction of digital currency shall be a powerful weapon if used right, and a terror if used wrong. Such is the nature of technology.
(2) Re <<Median family income is significantly higher in the US than in Hong Kong with property values in Hong Kong at outrageous levels. $2500 USD a month to rent a decent apt in Hong Kong? With those prices I wonder what percent of the population is living on the Street or in shacks? Given the very wide discrepancy in median family income, I have my severe doubts whether a moderately middle income person can secure a loan for 1M-1.5M? Your definition of middle income sounds kind of elevated.>>
I was not defining middle income, but middle class, and had in mind what they owned as opposed to what they earn. Take an average executive assistant / secretary, with husband doing job as shopkeeper or computer fixing person, such family can likely sell home and tally up savings, and put US$ 1-1.5M cash together for immigration.
(2-i) HK Gini coefficient hkeconomy.gov.hk roughly equivalent to USA
Latest HK socialindicators.org.hk at 0.54
Latest USA pewresearch.org at 0.595 pre redistribution to 0.423 post redistribution
(2-ii) Median income HK at ~ US$ 42.6K per household Hong Kong wages could drop 20 per cent in 2020 for city ...www.scmp.com › ... › Hong Kong › Hong Kong economy
Median household income NYC at US$ 102K
... believe HKG / NYC would be about same after adjusting for taxation differences, and tack on healthcare costing.
(2-iii) Homelessness -
(2-iv) Home ownership
But, homes are much smaller, open average in Hong Kong even as much more expensive, and purchasing home generally require 50-70% deposit (meaning 50-30% mortgage)
(3) Re <<I think we need to define what the "greater good" is before we assign to the Chinese government a caring, compassionate nature. I would not confuse control with compassion and caring. In fact, totalitarianism tends to run polar opposite to caring for the general good - though the Perron's in Argentina proved the exception rather than the rule.>>
I define greater-good as the basics, be safe, work, eat, get educated, provided healthcare, have roof over head, be entertained, ... and such. Am definitely not saying such basics alone be enough, but that such basics ought to be available to most per none left behind. After the basics, add the goodies as people attain middle class-dom and redirect savings / excess income however they might.
China was in a mess for 200+ years, a revolution happened, people died, bottomed, revived, and now rejuvenating. No other government managed to do so much for so many within such a short time span from so deep down in the dumps. Just the facts.
(4) Re <<But China controls Hong Kong now and greater control has come over the years and more control is yet to come.>> Sovereignty happens, and people are free to decamp should they feel the need, and many do.
(5) Re <<I have heard from my customers that there were a lot of slums and poverty in Hong Kong before the China take over. Has that been fixed somewhat?>> There are still much poverty but difficult to say how much relative to anywhere else.
We as in my family basically adopt the attitude that the world is open to roaming, and youngsters ought to be able to roam, then decide where they wish to settle. Hong Kong is a good base for that sort of get-up-and-go, simply because Hong Kong is too small a place to just camp in without exploring elsewhere.
The links I provided re the Hakkas should give a sense of the free spirit of roaming and as you put it, the 'secret of life'.
For my kids, they are the 5th known / recorded generation of my line who roamed (born in one and live another place, across national borders), and I hope they shall also roam, but before roaming, they must be trained. |
