I made the same point a few months ago on a thread on the subject of unsafe Chinese imports. Since you are already being called a fool or a fellow traveler, you can imagine the reception. All the same, China isn’t Communist. It has developed into a Robber Baron Capitalist state.
In the LONG run this is good news. This seems to be a necessary transitory stage in the development of a major state into a mature power. Dickens wrote of England’s industrial growing pains, and Sinclair Lewis wrote of the US in the same stage.
The thing is in an increasingly wealthy state, the Robber Baron exploitation and disregard for the welfare and growing power of a growing labor class eventually leads to pushback. Labor unions, consumer safety regulations, and mainly an offset to centralized power.
We already see the first glimmerings of this in China but it’s very early in the process. There are decades yet and many setbacks to go.
People who closely read my post will notice I am not defending China. There are still major problems here. I am merely pointing out that the term communist cannot really be applied to China anymore. I like and agree with your term ‘Robber Baron Capitalist State.’
I knew there would be some name calling from people who think that I am suggesting that all is now well in China. There is still alot of changes that need to take place here and I think that especially in this case, patience is needed. China is on the right track....