[what-the-grump]

The average person in America is living paycheck to paycheck and has negative equity.

20 years ago you couldn’t see in Shanghai. Trump pulled back the clean air act, it’s not hard to see a trend. It’s also not hard to buy a ticket and see it yourself.

[cpursley]

Great point, I almost wrote that they’ve cleaned up pollution (of all types) by a lot and also are accomplish some impressive feats by regreening and pushing back desertification. Amazing things can happen when you get your peoples basic needs met (ie, they can focus on higher level stuff).

[esbranson]

Regarding "not owning anything", I think you need to look up communism and consider if that's better there.

[grafmax]

60% of Americans live paycheck to paycheck. It depends on which Americans you are looking at if you want to understand who capitalist ownership is benefiting.

[esbranson]

100% of communists own nothing and live bureaucrat to bureaucrat. It does not depend on which Americans we are looking at to know who is benefiting.

[what-the-grump]

But thats not the reality of China right? People own cars, apartments, TVs, refrigerators, they are not distributed centrally.