Yet another example on why I don't worry about Internet censorship in China...
ARTICLE: "Blogger Hits Home By Urging Boycott Of Chinese Property: Campaign Against High Prices Garners Mr. Zou Support From Middle-Class Buyers; A Grilling by Security Agents," by Andrew Browne, Wall Street Journal, 12 June 2006, p. A1.
Man, the headline on that one is so good, it almost blogs itself!
Blogger, "daring grass-roots campaign," "the backing of people across the country"--what's not to like?
I know, I know, the bit about being grilled.
But still, the connectivity, the BROADBAND-anybody-with-a-dial-up connectivity, and a protest not against the concept of property but rather its cost, and one that excites a disgruntled "middle class.'
Remember that fairy tale about the guy who falls asleep all those years and then, waking up, can't believe the world he's found himself in? I say, give it up, you Cold War Rip Van Winkles!
Comments
It strikes me as a mixed bag, myself. I agree with you on connectivity but that's not the whole story.
Part of being in the Core is titled home ownership. You have nonliquid assets that make you care about your community's rulesets and making them work. The fact that it's titled means you can borrow on it and engage in the connectivity building economic activity that tightens bonds. A move to rent and not buy for political reasons is less than optimal. If prices are high for housing, why isn't housing being built to meet demand? I strongly suspect that there is a great lump of Gap thinking that is causing housing prices get out of joint.
Posted by: TM Lutas![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.thomaspmbarnett.com/weblog/nav-commenters.gif)
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June 13, 2006 3:13 PM
Really interesting story. I agree that some "Gap" thinking is what is causing the housing prices to get "out of joint". It is found primarily in the fact that there is no useful market information source, however. See my take on this piece (with link back to you) at www.cipe.org/blog.
Posted by: JRogers | June 15, 2006 11:13 AM