Let’s say it how it is, this is the cost of freedom. Yes, China can build more quickly and has advanced more technologically, but it came at the cost of freedom. The degree of freedom is not something I’m fit to argue.

Now, there are those they believe the difference in freedom is worth that technological advancement. I’m not so sure.

COVID was a great example of this. China was able to slow the virus spreading faster than the US since they were literally locking people into their homes. In the US, this didn’t happen because of the rights we have.

China's system created the virus, allowed the virus to spread rapidly . Then arrested people warning about it. Locked people in blocks causing more deaths, made up stats and censored the press.

Plus their vaccine didn't work.

I wouldn't call them more technology advanced. Good at controlling people and information but bad at outcomes and process.

Strange to me that the US has fallen behind is supposedly due to its commitment to freedom. The ownership class sold out the industrial base for profit, beginning with Reagan. They’re the ones who have driven policy - and continue to do so in the current turn to naked authoritarianism. The freedom the US supposedly stands for is the freedom of the capitalist class. Is it any wonder we haven’t seen investment in public infrastructure that prioritizes public good over private profits? That would have be financed by taxing the private interests that determine our policies. Instead we finance wars and a police state.

> No stats can be trusted in a society that does not prize allegiance to the truth above all else.

What society, government or political entity prizes allegiance to truth above all else?

Truly you win the prize of the dumbest anti-china comment.

I trust Finland's economic data far more than China's.

No offense to Finland but Finland is basically an irrelevant country when it comes to geopolitics.

How is that relevant to the accuracy of their economic data? Finalnd's long border with Russian and recent joining into NATO means they are actually relatively geopolitically important.

It’s easier for small countries to do certain things that’s much more difficult for large countries to do. And by your logic, North Korea is relevant too, and it is and Finland is too, but in very narrow areas; and not really relevant when talking about economics of big countries.

" North Korea is relevant too" It very much is.

Okay…but I’m not going to say North Korea’s economic data is fraudulent, therefore implications for the economic data for large countries. Also, read the thread before replying to random phrases you see.

Yeah, from memory Finland scores very highly in global surveys of honesty.

> What society, government or political entity prizes allegiance to truth above all else?

Exactly.

The problem is that people use all kinds of alternative methods to measure GDP. Stuff like light emissions. Import and export volumes and so on. And broadly speaking those are not that different from the offical stats. So just claiming its all lies doesnt really work.