Pew’s Katie Simmons reports that 42 percent of Chinese citizens think inequality is a “very big issue.” 46 percent of Americans said the same — and inequality is one of the most important issues in American politics. As the below chart shows, a plurality of Pew’s Chinese respondents blame their government’s policies for the wealth gap:
This is a real problem for China. The past view years have seen a spate of low-level social unrest — protests, riots, strikes, and the like. While in part this surely has to do with the rise of social media and other outlets for organizing, as well as the sense of civic participation that often comes with urbanization and a growing middle class, these protests are arguably tied to the growth in inequality as well. In 1993, there were about 8,700 “disturbances” — the official name for protests, riots, and the like — in China. By 2010, the figure was 180,000. Nargiza Salidjanova, an analyst at the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission, links this to growing inequality. So while Chinese citizens broadly think the transition to capitalism has been worth it, there’s real anger about the rising inequality that’s accompanied by it. It’s a major problem for the Chinese Communist Party going forward — and it’s one among many.
Meanwhile, Darrell West wonders what kind of influence China’s growing moneyed class will wield on the government:
China is becoming a land of billionaires. With 152 billionaires, China is minting ultra-wealthy individuals at a brisk pace. Currently, the country ranks second in the world in number of billionaires, according to the Forbes compilation of billionaires. This is below the 492 in the United States, but ahead of Russia (with 111), Germany (85), Brazil (65), and India (56). But the broader question is what impact [Alibaba founder Jack] Ma and other billionaires will have on Chinese society and government.
West notes that Ma, like other Chinese billionaires, has “been careful not to position himself as an oppositional political figure”:
For example, he has set up a charitable trust with an estimated $3 billion in assets and announced plans to address China’s environment and health care problems. The wealthy billionaire is concerned about environmental pollution and has told reporters that “somebody has to do something. Our job is to wake people up.” But in announcing his charitable venture, he reassured government authorities about his long-term intentions. “I’m not political,” he told the Wall Street Journal. “We don’t want to confront [government officials]; we want to sit down and work with them.” …
In thinking about his options, Ma should be cognizant of the case of Chinese billionaire Wang Gongquan. That businessman attracted unfavorable government attention when he spoke out about his desire for greater citizen involvement in his country’s decision-making. He was arrested on charges of “assembling a crowd to disrupt order in a public place”, and his case is pending in the legal system. The line between billionaire policy advocacy and political involvement can be very treacherous in nondemocratic systems.
The Dish 