While Western politicians talk about reining in Big Tech, China is actually doing it, and the results are becoming impossible to ignore. What once looked like heavy-handed intervention is beginning to resemble something else: a bold attempt to reshape the digital economy in service of society, not just shareholders.
Even The Economist, in an article meant to critique China, inadvertently underscores this reality. It concedes that the crackdown: "...echoes concerns that motivate regulators and politicians in the West: that digital markets tend towards monopolies and that tech firms hoard data, abuse suppliers, exploit workers and undermine public morality...all this would hurt profits, but might make markets work better..."
In page 48 (Business section) more explanations are given about the Chinese strategy:
"China is moving into a new phase of development that prioritizes social fairness...not the growth-at-all-costs mentality of the past 30 years...Analysts believe that the changes will lead to...lower prices for consumers...workers will benefit from the wealth transfer, too...Many politicians in America and Europe would love to fashion their tech industry into something like Mr Xi´s vision..."
PS - Amazingly the very same The Economist of August 7th had an article about the arrogance of CEOs as if they were the new kings of old which gives new reasons for China´s attack on tech https://www.economist.com/business/2021/08/07/chief-executives-are-the-new-monarchs
