"China is a kleptocracy. Get used to it."

Been to China three times and it is always the people who amaze me. They cannot aford to take for granted what we do as a matter of course.

It appears to me that the average business is far more leveraged in China than other countries. A friend in Australia does business in China and tells me it is like the Wild Wild West. Anything goes and it is all about who you know and not what you know. It makes him nervous about collecting money. If the Chinese kleptocracy is bad where does that leave Russia. It appears to me that the Chinese public is getting a better payback than Russian citizens. Their infrastructure is growing hughly and to my knowledge far better than what the Putin gang delivers.

Good assessment of the operational mode of the Chinese elite. On paper they are a communist republic but in practice they run an insider Kleptocracy with mafia-like gang culture – the president is the ‘don’, the national cabinet are the head family and the provincial commissars are like capos, all fleecing the local peasantry though a controlled banking system – this is a cross between a confidence racket and a loan sharking scheme = like a combo plate of shakedowns. The economic system in China has changed from a Marxist collectivist system to a form of feudal mercantilism run by a few select insiders who kick back to the federal council for the privilege of trade licence.

60 years of communist cruelty and the ascension of an avaricious political elite has molded this gangster economic system – it’s a model for Obamanomics – profits are private and corporate but private debt is public and subsidized.

Funny. China is enabled by the Zero. They are not a kleptocracy.They simply take what they can. What the Yanks don't understand,is the TOTUS sells them out.Let's be honest,people. Send all your money to China,then bitch.

"On paper they are a communist republic but in practice they run an insider Kleptocracy with mafia-like gang culture ..."

What "communist republic" does, or has ever done, otherwise?

While I'm usually in favour of government staying out of investment decisions, I'm strongly in favour of Canada denying Chinese investment in our country.
The main reason is lack of reciprocity. The Chinese want to be able to invest in our country without government involvement; are Canadian companies free to do the same in China? No - Canadian investors are only allowed to start up joint ventures where the Chinese government is the majority partner. So, if the ChiComs want to buy into our oil industry, I say "tit for tat" - sure, they can invest as minority partners with our government holding a majority stake.

Wanna bet that dries up ChiCom investment real fast?

Its gonna get interesting if Harper gets his way and they have to play by the same rules as the rest of the world...

Here I go again:

ALL States are kleptocracies. It is the very nature of a State to be a kleptocrat.

The only difference is a matter of style -- how much finesse, how much sophistication is involved in the operation. Think of the difference between a bank hoist and bankster counterfeiting and embezzlement enabled by their political criminal syndicate partners.

Give the Chinese time and their kleptocracy will be as silky smooth as western kleptocracies and we will stop having such contempt for their kleptocracy just as we stopped laughing at Jap automobiles a few decades back.

I should lighten up, what?

Oh complete nonsense. The US is the most corrupt country in the world. Compared to Americans, Chinese are rank amateurs.

That is a very powerful presentation of facts. I have been expecting bad things from China all along, now I have some explanation of why my BS detector has been pinging.

May I suggest cash-on-delivery for all dealings with the Chicoms?

First, Chinese have been through more economic disasters than we have had haircuts.
The prime savings method has always been buying compact high purity gold "jewelry".
Second, almost all third world despots and dictatorial regimes regard internal liquid capital
outside the immediate control of "their side" as a dangerous threat to the stability their regime.
Nor are their fears always unfounded. Countries in Africa with huge exploited and unexploited
valuable resources where the bulk of the population live miserable lives are a good example of
what the priorities are when it comes to being a ruler.
Corrupt regimes are nothing new around the world.
They rise, they fall.
.

Harper has something up his sleeve. I don't know what but he has a mind a fox would envy.

The thing about China is that everything is local. And extremely personal. Business, housing, schooling - all are privileges and all require influential contacts. This means bribes, otherwise understood as personal donations.

The local administrators are all bribed for deals, whether it be a document that needs to be signed so you can even apply for a visa, or an apartment or a job.

The central government is 'far off' and generally ignored by the majority, whose lives are more immediately and powerfully impacted and dependent on: the local authorities, who are usually families that have taken and kept power for generations.

Just an FYI: the negative return phenomenon is how insurance works as well. And the low inflation/deflation world we currently live in is killing insurer profitability.

Me No Dhimmi: "ALL States are kleptocracies. It is the very nature of a State to be a kleptocrat."

Very true Dhimmi, it is as always a matter of degree. One need look no further than Ontario and its shakedown of the ag industry or the feds with their income taxing regime - you face jail for non payment but income taxing is supposed to be voluntary as per commonlaw right. You face jail for not belonging to a government run supply control racket, can't sell your produce without authorization or a skim.

Also, all states with governments are tyrannies which use brute force against peaceful individuals to make them do things that is not in their best interests - again the amount of tyranny is a matter of degree and how much the people are willing to put up with - still to defy government edict yeilds incarceration or death in our nation as it does in China.

Case in point - you don't pay a petty fine on use of the public roads because you deem it to be unjust as the highway was purchased with tax money taken from you in the first place and fines on use are double taxation on a paid public project. You refuse on principle. The government takes you to court in absentia and without jury trial finds you guilty of an "administrative crime" - armed police show at your door to collect or cart you off to jail - you refuse to pay and you refuse to be incarcerated for a "non crime" on principle. The police assault you to take you into custody, you resist on principle and exercise your right to self defense - at this point the state claims the right to kill you.

And we laugh at China.

@ Occam

Once people take off their partisan blinkers they will realise that in an election their side never wins. Politicians win every time. We lose. All the time.

"Politicians are the same all over. They promise to build a bridge where there is no river."

Nikita S. Khruschev

But you have to admire China's quality control.

-

If you screw up a product in America you pay a fine to ?someone that collects fines.

If you screw up a product in China that draws media attention,
you lose your head or disappear.

Confucius say:

No One See Mistakes,
Live Long and Prosper!

was someome discussing taxation?????

John Lewis said: "The US is the most corrupt country in the world. Compared to Americans, Chinese are rank amateurs."

Absolutely! The US has been run by a cabal of financial "untouchable" oligarchs since 1913. They own the Fed (and thus the money creation power) both parties and they write US foreign policy for the administration of the day through their policy think tanks like CFR, TLC, Rand Corp etc. The US security industrial complex "disappears" or "accidents" anyone truly dangerous enough to expose the way things really work. Ezra Pound was the first one they targeted but there have been many – the Arkancided witnesses to the Mena drugs for guns racket are a prime example or Ruby Ridge, or Waco or operation fast and furious - not as many political murders and black-ops violence as China mind you but hey, the US oligarchy has to maintain the illusion of rule of law and democracy with their two controlled parties and their owned courts.

Essentially the US political elite and financial oligarchy consider themselves above the law so when they act totally lawless in carrying of their agendas, they think it’s just taking care of business – Just like the Chinese elites and gangster governments everywhere.China differs only in that its criminal power cabal is also the government - unlike the US where the government is a servant of the cabal.

China is just less pretentious with its corruption and criminality because it has no need to maintain the illusion of a free society, constitutionally restrained government, pluralistic democracy or laizzes-faire capitalism - everyone knows and accepts the Chinese government is criminal and lies and steals and murders its enemies, they just aren't allowed to say so openly – so they (Chinese and western investment cap) cross the right palms, get their official clearances to do business, make great profits due to low operating costs and look the other way when the government skims at many stages in the banking/business process, and keep their yap shut about it – stool pigeons know what to expect.

Whistle blowers in the US are treated similarly – if they have no mass media outlet they meet with accidents or frame up jail terms. Now, with the new US executive orders feds can just snuff you with no trial or warrant - all they need to do is make up some story that connects you to “terrorism” (like voting for Ron Paul or believing in God) and there are no questions asked by the courts. Oh, and the other new executive order that states they can snatch you out of your house and hold you indefinitely without habeas corpus – if you are deemed to be involved in “terrorism” ( like being in the tea party or a militia or a Christian organization, or a gun club). – getting’ like China isn’t it?

But even the Chinese government doesn’t tell you what light bulbs to buy or incriminate you for putting the wrong things in the garbage or for selling unpasteurized milk, or run security pat downs at shopping malls, bus and train stations like the new US authoritarian security regime will.

The US is closing in on China’s authoritarian police state incrementally but with no systemic constitutional reform of federal power on the horizon they will be as bad in a decade or so. Consider that the US is currently setting up a public surveillance grid with internet spying, drones, video, and digital wireless communications tapping that makes the UK surveillance state look pale.

Fiddle, it's a franchise of thieves. It's one thief selling a franchise to another thief.