The ANC looks to China for inspiration in the mistaken belief that it is still Mao’s communist China, when in fact the only thing it has in common with communist regimes is repression.
President Xi Jinping’s instincts are capitalist, and his views on welfare are those of the US Republican Party. He has an aversion to any social spending, which he calls “welfarism” and believes will erode the work ethic of the Chinese people.
He has said: “Even in the future when we have reached a higher level of development and are equipped with more financial resources, we must not aim too high with social security and stay clear of the idleness-breeding trap of welfarism.”
So that’s another lesson the ANC didn’t learn from China, because it wants to keep the cake and eat it; it likes China’s development but doesn’t like the low wages, no trade unions and no social transfers.
Sydney Kaye
Cape Town
JOIN THE DISCUSSION: Send us an email with your says to letters@businesslive.co.za. Letters of more than 300 words will be edited for length. Anonymous correspondence will not be published. Writers should include a daytime telephone number.
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.