25 September

We say China is 'authoritarian'. That's because we say we're 'free', and they're not. But unpack that a bit - is a decision by government *not* to act authoritarian, as much as a decision to act? Here are the percentages of people living below the poverty line here, in the USA and in China. Surely the decision to allow people to live in poverty, when it can be fixed, is an authoritarian decision? It's not one those people would ever vote for, and it destroys their freedom. (Note that China plans to eliminate poverty entirely, this year.) Australia - 13.2% USA - 14.5% China - 0.7%