Amazing how much incentive there is for a whole nation to work when they don't run a social security system....
This is completely untrue - I don't know where you got that information from but there is a very robust social security system here that includes free housing for th eelderly, food and health benefits and many more things FOR THE NEEDY!!
The usual propaganda - most likely run by our governments in the west - is simply not true.
The BIG difference is that here in China if I WANT to work harder or longer I can reap the rewards for doing so, in Australia the government takes 60% of what you earn so what incentive is there???
Please refrain from regurgitating complete crap when you certainly have no facts to back it up.
And you Mike. I've visited China several times and traded with them since 1998. I don't have the immersion you do in staying there for longer times, but I do pick up on things. There is no social security in outlying villages. China's system and "transparency" only goes so far. A lot of the people working in the cities have migrated en masses, so their culture of work or perish will have come with them even with whatever the Government offers them being available. And as many Chinese have a certain caution of dealing with Government, it goes without saying that not all of them want to declare their status, especially if they are not carrying a permit to work in that city. Doesn't seem like an equal system to me.
Anyway, I think your Thunderbirds theme is going to be a rocket in sales. Are you going to sell as many as are wanted or are you going to do the "boutique pin sales, only 100 made" a la Spooky et al? FAB.
The freedom to move about the country and the "permit to work" (your words) was all relaxed about 6 years ago. There is no requirement to stay in your "birth" town any longer and any citizen can move about the country and work anywhere they choose without requiring any permission from anyone. As long as tax is paid on their income the government doesn't care where they are living/working.
For certain things it is still a requirement to travel to your home town such as a permit to visit Hong Kong (valid for one year and two entries) and passport and ID card related things. Pretty well every other aspect of life is - in a lot of ways - actually more open and free than in Australia.
Naturally in a one party system the man in the street doesn't vote for who the leader is but all of the everyday people I have met don't give a toss about voting/elections/who is running the country as the leaders JUST GET ON WITH IT so they are doing OK generally - our system could learn a lot.
I am personally 100% sick and tired of the absolute BS that goes on in our country with politicians bickering and arguing with each other "he said, she said" - JUST GET ON AND RUN THE COUNTRY YOU IDIOTS!!!!
Take just a single example - while our politicians have been crapping on for - I don't know??? 15 years? about a second airport for Sydney with STILL no decison - China has built 30+ world class international airports and upgraded countless others.
Forget about "feeling sorry" for the Chinese person in the street - they are mostly pretty happy with their lot. We should be feeling sorry for OURSELVES as we are sinking deeper into a very deep hole and most don't even realise that yet.
The beggers you see in the street are (for the most part) an organisattion run by "the bad guys" and it is purely a money thing. There is indeed a social security network funded by the "China Welfare Lottery" (much like Qld used to be under Jo) and you can buy a ticket pretty well anywhere. If you are genuinly needy you can get Govt assistance. Certainly not like our dole but we are simply too stupid to see the bigger picture.
Don't worry, I see things on a daily basis that make me cringe and things that make me think "WTF?" Just yesterday my business coillegue went to a trade show in Germany and his wall posters that were printed using his artwork and displaying his products were taken from him at the border with the explanation "these are not allowed to be taken out of the country" Why - who knows?? Stupidity I would have thought......
