this post was submitted on 01 Aug 2024
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Hey, where do you live? I have friends from Shanghai who would disagree with you. Also, my Chinese wife and their family would disagree.
But that's fine, plenty of room for different opinions online.
I'm currently in 兴义市。What does your Chinese wife have to say about China? My experience is that Chinese expats who have criticisms of China tend to be from rather wealthy families who have issues with the regulations in China. They move to the west because it's a lot easier to exploit the working class, both in their adopted country, and in the global South.
I find that their sob stories about lack of freedom revolve around their lack of freedom to do whatever the hell they want. My girlfriend's brother fits into this category. A millionaire crypto bro who thinks China is an authoritarian hellhole because it puts limits on his outrageous and unproductive speculation and ambitions to be a landlord. That's ok though, because he's able to exploit as many Western workers as he likes, stealing their labour value and "providing" them housing by buying it all up and selling it back to them at outrageously inflated prices. What freedom.
Ehm.. Exploiting the lower class is easier in China? There is literally a very high youth unemployment rate right now. Why do you think I take my vacation in China? Because taking a cab from Beijing airport to Beijing center costs like 3-4 EUR. Foods cheap, stores are always open, vibrant night life, and all because people are working so much.
Hmm yes, cheap food, and a vibrant night life. Coupled with 90% home ownership. All hallmarks of an oppressed working class.
I'm sure they're dying to pay £4.50 for a shitty ham sandwich and forking over half their wages every month to a landlord.
I think you missed safety as well, huge difference here in the West compared to China
Indeed. It's remarkably safe here. According to some people another hallmark of freedom is the freedom to be robbed.