China’s people are stuck on a treadmill • Noah Smith

China’s people are stuck on a treadmill • Noah Smith

Leftist online personality Hasan Piker recently took a trip to China and — like many other influencers who have been there — declared it to be a paradise, praising “abundance-style consumption paired up with a centrally controlled economy” and “1950s Soviet era building blocks next to the Gucci store.” Meanwhile, pro-China pundits continue to crow about the country’s technological achievements and export performance. But when you talk to ordinar…