Endnu en glimrende leder i The Economist, der kritisk gennemgår Kinas økonomiske fejl og mangler, samt hvorledes det er den private økonomiske sfære, der mestendels skal takkes for de imponerende vækstrater. Således fri for den vanlige lovprisning af den kinesiske stat, som gør sig gældende på alle niveauer af den danske presse, kan man desuden læse den dybdegående briefing, som lederen bygger på, her.
Udpluk
"But statism has big costs, too. The first is corruption. When local bigwigs can award contracts to firms which they themselves control, graft spreads like bird flu. Sometimes well-connected shell firms take a fat cut and then pass the real work on to subcontractors, with scant regard for standards. The second problem is that big state-backed enterprises crowd out small entrepreneurial ones. They gobble up capital that China’s genuinely private firms could use far more efficiently, amassing bad debts that will eventually cause China big trouble. They rig the game in other ways, too, enjoying privileged access to land and permits. Small private firms are often unsure whether what they do is even legal. The rise of local-government venture funds creates yet more opportunities for abuse. Some of these funds will invest wisely, but many will pursue non-commercial goals, from job creation to crony enrichment."
