My New Favorite Symbol of China’s Income Gap
This one is simply breathtaking. I can’t think of a better example of the excesses of the rich, the dangers of fast economic growth, and the challenges currently facing Beijing.
Chinese officials have promised to crack down on illegal golf courses, threatening harsh punishment to developers catering to “the rich man’s game” at the expense of much-needed farmland.
Demand for courses is soaring as the country’s newly wealthy adopt the sport. But officials hope that a satellite system to check the illicit use of land will help them to identify unapproved venues, state media reported today.
China imposed a moratorium on course building in 2004, but the game’s popularity has led developers to continue construction without permission. (The Guardian)
You can’t make this stuff up.
This sounds more like the guardian making a mountain out of a ant hill based on a tiny sliver of data. Who cares if private developers are building golf courses, as long as they are not doing it corruptly or stealing land. Golf is a time consuming leisure activity, and I really don’t know how much time rich people will give up to play golf, when there are other activities like, you know, making money. If the developers end up overbuilding and going bankrupt, well such is life.
Stan,
I would have thought that the motor industry bosses flying to Washington on their personal jets to ask for a bailout (whilst people were losing their homes) was pretty comparable. I am not sure these type of challenges are limited strictly to China.
That was a good one, yeah. However, it was a victimless crime. Taking away land/screwing over farmers in order to build a golf course – that’s your winner right there.