Freeman Chair in China Studies Jude Blanchette and Stanford Professor Andrew Walder discuss China's extreme inequality, exploring economic reform, social mobility, party membership, wealth accumulation, income distribution, socialist ideology, and structural challenges. They debate the roots of inequality, potential future scenarios, Xi Jinping's leadership, and geopolitical dynamics in China.
China's extreme inequality stems from state socialism's structural legacies impacting income distribution.
Tax reform challenges in China are hindered by reliance on enterprise taxes over individual wealth taxation.
Deep dives
Understanding China's Political System and the Role of State Socialism
China's evolving political system is explored in this podcast, highlighting the structural legacies of state socialism that impact China's extreme inequality. The discussion delves into the evolution of China's Revolution, the shift to a market economy, and the party's control over economic resources. The podcast also addresses the lack of income redistribution despite the state's vast control over resources, raising questions about the party's grip on society and the economy.
Challenges in Addressing Inequality Through Tax Reform
The podcast underscores the challenges in addressing extreme inequality in China through tax reform. It discusses China's reliance on taxing enterprises rather than individual wealth, the slow shift towards household-based taxation, and the limited focus on income and property taxes. The reluctance to reform the tax system stems from political and economic concerns, including maintaining control over resources, avoiding political discord, and balancing revenue generation with economic stability.
Xi Jinping's Leadership and Agenda for Reform
Insights on Xi Jinping's leadership style and priorities emerge in the podcast, highlighting his stance on maintaining party power and steering economic policies. While Xi Jinping exhibits a willingness to challenge vested interests and drive change, his focus on industrial upgrading and state control influences the approach toward inequality. The discussion contemplates whether a politically realistic path exists under current leadership to address structural inequality and the potential for future reforms.
Complexities of Geopolitical Relations and Inequality in China
The podcast delves into the intricate relationship between geopolitical tensions, party preservation, and economic reforms in addressing extreme inequality in China. It explores how worsening global relations may reinforce China's current trajectory of prioritizing security and state control. The conversation reflects on the cyclical nature of China's policy adjustments in response to external pressures and internal dynamics, offering nuanced perspectives on the future outlook for addressing inequality within China's political and economic framework.
In this episode of Pekingology, Freeman Chair in China Studies Jude Blanchette is joined by the Andrew Walder, Denise O'Leary & Kent Thiry Professor at Stanford University, and Senior Fellow at the Freeman-Spogli Institute for International Studies. Today they discuss his article “China’s Extreme Inequality: The Structural Legacies of State Socialism.” (The China Journal, July 2023)
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