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WSJ: China plans to targets HK's "wealth gap"

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  1. #21

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    Or just use this as an opportunity to replace HK tycoons with mainland ones, just like how Xi use its anti-corruption campaign to oust those who have lost his favour and install those who are loyal to him.

  2. #22

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    Perhaps you have not been in HK very long. This is a mantra that was touted probably 20 years ago but since then government policy has increased the wealth gap with policies of scarcity for land and higher eduction.

    I'm pretty sure it will be easy to demonise the rich and throw cash as the poor but that doesn't sound like good governance.

  3. #23

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    Quote Originally Posted by GentleGeorge:
    In the early 90s China faced a similar problem with a perceived democratic deficit. There were two possible paths that they saw:
    1) Solve the democratic deficit by giving people democracy
    2) Don't solve the democratic deficit, but make people rich instead
    They choose option 2 but the Gini coeffiecint is wider in SHanghai and Shenzhen than HK. It really should have been making a few very wealthy and hope their is a trickle down effect.
    Last edited by East_coast; 16-03-2021 at 05:17 PM.
    shri likes this.

  4. #24

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    Quote Originally Posted by East_coast:
    They choose option 2 but the Gini coeffiecint is wider in SHanghai and Shenzhen than HK. It really should have been making a few very wealthy and hope their is a trickle down effect.
    But Shanghai and Shenzhen have at least got relatively affordable (and not pocket-sized) housing for the legions of less well off.

    This is probably EXACTLY the analogy (however false it may seem to you or I) that is front of mind for many of the decision-makers in Beijing

  5. #25

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    Quote Originally Posted by GentleGeorge:
    But Shanghai and Shenzhen have at least got relatively affordable (and not pocket-sized) housing for the legions of less well off.

    This is probably EXACTLY the analogy (however false it may seem to you or I) that is front of mind for many of the decision-makers in Beijing
    Affordable to who? The ginicoefficient is wider.

    Year upon year the pan dems have been requesting lower housing costs.. Were they wrong then?

  6. #26

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    Quote Originally Posted by East_coast:
    Affordable to who? The ginicoefficient is wider.

    Year upon year the pan dems have been requesting lower housing costs.. Were they wrong then?
    Back in London people, generally on the soft left, used to propose cheaper housing prices.

    Their solutions typically focussed on rent controls and bashing landlords.

    Near me there was a tall housing tower proposed - and the same group of activists put up a stall opposing it because it was built by capitalists and would cast a shadow on some 16th century listed almshouses at certain times of day.

    Pan-dems are similar. Proposing cheaper housing is easy, getting it done - not so much.

  7. #27

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    Nothing but a furphy to distract from the dismantling of governance and judiciary.


  8. #28

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    Quote Originally Posted by GentleGeorge:
    Back in London people, generally on the soft left, used to propose cheaper housing prices.

    Their solutions typically focussed on rent controls and bashing landlords.

    Near me there was a tall housing tower proposed - and the same group of activists put up a stall opposing it because it was built by capitalists and would cast a shadow on some 16th century listed almshouses at certain times of day.

    Pan-dems are similar. Proposing cheaper housing is easy, getting it done - not so much.
    Ignoring the calls for more affordable housing was very easy

  9. #29

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    Oh dear....

  10. #30

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    Quote Originally Posted by East_coast:
    Ignoring the calls for more affordable housing was very easy
    The proposal is the East Lantau island... but funnily, many of the 'I want cheap housing' voices don't support it.

    I know you have a proposal to bulldoze some Greenfield mountains or something instead - but let's try to avoid a repeat of that well trod discussion, please.