I'd really like to hear an informed take on this, but I think it's interesting the state has so much power over a billionaire. Is it because political/party power > wealth in China?
My Western intuition conflates the two in that wealth generally provides access to power in all its forms, but I can think of a number of times throughout history where the state can requisition personal wealth at will (don't quote me, I'm no history buff).
Niall Ferguson's Square and the Tower - power is all about your network. Wealth can most definately buy you a network quick, but those networks are more fragile than established entrenched ones.
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[ 3.3 ms ] story [ 21.7 ms ] threadHe's obviously not a stupid man, but he had to have been aware of what would happen, I don't understand why he wouldn't have been prepared.
I'd really like to hear an informed take on this, but I think it's interesting the state has so much power over a billionaire. Is it because political/party power > wealth in China?
My Western intuition conflates the two in that wealth generally provides access to power in all its forms, but I can think of a number of times throughout history where the state can requisition personal wealth at will (don't quote me, I'm no history buff).