The deep-rooted customs within China’s bureaucratic system have cast profound impacts on Chinese culture and the social climate. In today’s post, we share one of the widely read independent blogs on WeChat with more than 100,000 views, which has sparked heated discussions about
Dec 21, 2023Liked by Robert Wu, Amber Zhang, Elena Wang
Very interesting article! This honestly gives a glimpse to what could be the root of corruption in China (honestly probably most developing nations in the world as well) and that is simply nepoptism through social connection and power-worship that entails with it. Mr. A is clearly a honest man that tried with all of his might to resist his family, relative, and acquaintance pressure to use their relation with him to gain advantage in social settings and/or social dispute. All of these are small things but if it were to continue unchecked could snowball into bigger corruption and nepotism later down the line. This gave us further context on regulation regarding official behavior is not only to prevent THEM but also to prevent their relatives as well.
Again, very interesting and thank you for translating it!
Dec 21, 2023·edited Dec 21, 2023Liked by Robert Wu, Elena Wang
Thanks for the article, as it is a useful text to show friends when I try to describe some of the aspects of life in China when I worked there. There is a similar phenomena in the West, but it operates by more subtle lines. It's so subtle that I wonder if exchange students/overseas students who study in America learn about it before they return home. For example, access to medical doctors is determined by socio-economic status, the lower the status, the poorer the skill set and the more likely the doctor is to prescribe unnecessary medication with the intention of profiting ala OxyContin. If one is truly poor, then ala Obamacare, no one dares risk going to the doctor until they are so sick that they are often beyond help. Then there are the the fixers, like Joe Biden's family or the family of powerful senators, representatives or even local government who find cushy jobs because just having them on the company payroll opens all kinds of government funds.
What I found disturbing is this sort of informal corruption in the article is also a common feature of the "good guys" on China state television. Criminals or corrupt politicians don't get their comeuppance by the system operating correctly finally catch up with them, but because a well connected hero using the same tool as the bad guy, connections. "Do you know who I am?" I'm a bit surprised that the party allows this sort of meme to perpetuate in mass media, that who I am matters more that what the bad guy did. This isn't teaching the masses how to deal with corruption, but perpetuating it.
I feel sorry for your friend! I assume it’s mainly the older folks and people in rural areas who expect government bureaucrats to “pull strings”, but the young people and city people are more realistic, correct!
That said, my own personal experience in a recent trip to China is that people (whether bureaucrats or not) will do everything they reasonably can to help. Whereas I think many bureaucrats in other countries expect “favours” (dare I say “bribes”?) just to do something they can easily do.
Very interesting article! This honestly gives a glimpse to what could be the root of corruption in China (honestly probably most developing nations in the world as well) and that is simply nepoptism through social connection and power-worship that entails with it. Mr. A is clearly a honest man that tried with all of his might to resist his family, relative, and acquaintance pressure to use their relation with him to gain advantage in social settings and/or social dispute. All of these are small things but if it were to continue unchecked could snowball into bigger corruption and nepotism later down the line. This gave us further context on regulation regarding official behavior is not only to prevent THEM but also to prevent their relatives as well.
Again, very interesting and thank you for translating it!
Thanks for the article, as it is a useful text to show friends when I try to describe some of the aspects of life in China when I worked there. There is a similar phenomena in the West, but it operates by more subtle lines. It's so subtle that I wonder if exchange students/overseas students who study in America learn about it before they return home. For example, access to medical doctors is determined by socio-economic status, the lower the status, the poorer the skill set and the more likely the doctor is to prescribe unnecessary medication with the intention of profiting ala OxyContin. If one is truly poor, then ala Obamacare, no one dares risk going to the doctor until they are so sick that they are often beyond help. Then there are the the fixers, like Joe Biden's family or the family of powerful senators, representatives or even local government who find cushy jobs because just having them on the company payroll opens all kinds of government funds.
What I found disturbing is this sort of informal corruption in the article is also a common feature of the "good guys" on China state television. Criminals or corrupt politicians don't get their comeuppance by the system operating correctly finally catch up with them, but because a well connected hero using the same tool as the bad guy, connections. "Do you know who I am?" I'm a bit surprised that the party allows this sort of meme to perpetuate in mass media, that who I am matters more that what the bad guy did. This isn't teaching the masses how to deal with corruption, but perpetuating it.
Wonderfull!! Many thanks!
I feel sorry for your friend! I assume it’s mainly the older folks and people in rural areas who expect government bureaucrats to “pull strings”, but the young people and city people are more realistic, correct!
That said, my own personal experience in a recent trip to China is that people (whether bureaucrats or not) will do everything they reasonably can to help. Whereas I think many bureaucrats in other countries expect “favours” (dare I say “bribes”?) just to do something they can easily do.
So, hooray for the Chinese bureaucrat!