China to Use Taxes to Fund Social Programs (must read)

[cthrumatrix]

China to Use Taxes to Fund Social Programs
03.09.2005, 06:28 AM

China will use taxes from its fast-growing eastern cities to help pay for rural social programs as it tries to close a widening divide between rich and poor, senior officials said Wednesday.

Communist Party leaders have ordered an end to farm taxes and promised more money for construction, education and health care in the neglected countryside in an effort to ease poverty.

Asked how the government would pay for its initiatives, the country's top finance and tax officials said 20 percent of the money would come from taxes on prosperous coastal areas and the rest from China's central treasury.

"Taxes will be used as a tool to play a very important role in building a harmonious society," Xie Xuren, director of the State Tax Administration, said at a news conference during the annual meeting of China's parliament.

http://www.forbes.com/associatedpress/feeds/ap/2005/03/09/ap1872103.html

We dismantle "our social systems" as China is buliding a "harmonious society".

Now....you may go back to your local MJ/Kobe trial.

[catnhatnh]

1. And would you have us copy...

...these GODLESS heathens???

[cthrumatrix]

2. no I would like to point out "compassion"...for people who are not as

fortunate.

When have you seen Bush implement a domestic policy that:
"..... play a very important role in building a harmonious society,"

what is harmonious in ANYTHING this man has done

[katsy]

5. we won't need to copy them...

Don't they pretty much own us anyway?

[cthrumatrix]

6. we DO need our social safety nets... Govt appears to be shooting

for Medicare next.

[katsy]

16. I agree

My comment was directed to the fact that corporate america sold out American workers... transferred jobs and technology to China. China can now afford to implement social nets. Our government is hell bent on destroying us.

[catzies]

17. Yes, they do and welcome to DU!

:hi:

Love your username. :)

[blm]

7. Helping the poor is as "GODLY" a policy any nation can have.

China's "communism" is such a bad economic policy that they are quickly becoming the number one holder of capitalist America's debt thanks to Bush's deficit-increasing economic policies.

We payout a BILLION DOLLARS A DAY just in interest on our debt.

Thankyou, Bush.

[BlueJazz]

3. ...And the sad fact is...China's populace will prosper and grow...

...while we sink lower and lower into bankruptcy and our politicians won't have a clue why...

[w4rma]

4. That's good news. But, they could be doing one of those Orewllian say one

thing do the opposite like Bush does.

[David__77]

8. In the old days...

...Chinese people's life standard was assured by their collective or work unit. They abolished those social units and then people were left to fend for themselves like Americans in the 1800's. They realized that a mass of semi- or unemployed former peasants migrating from city to city is not a thing that is just and moral, nor is it socally stabilizing.

[shantipriya]

9. China v/s US

Hey guys!
Isn't USA the best place to live?!!!! Ask any Repug and the Red statemen.

[Igel]

10. No need to assume altruism or good communist ideology here.

Imputing motives is a risky business.

They've had open protests in the countryside; while everybody was impoverished (that social safety net lurking above everybody's head in case they start to rise), they had less turmoil.

Now that they've allowed capitalism or something akin to it in the cities, they have a growing middle and upper class that's not based solely on ideology, as it was before. They've faced tax rebellions and the occasion bout of warlordism.

It's quite possible that stability and pride are highly valued. Stability equates to continued rule. What ruler doesn't want to lengthen his/her rule?

This strikes me as being at least as likely to be some of the reasoning behind the proposals as the assumption they're doing it out of concern for the poor.

[ClarkUSA]

11. This is not a pissing match...

It's a recognition that China know taxing the rich to help the poor is important if you want a functional society that is not based on inequity.

Tell it to Bush!

[Igel]

13. No objection.

My point was that it's not a virtue, altruistic deed that confers sainthood on anyone. No more, no less, and no pissing involved.

When people shout "hail, messiah" from the rooftops, and all I see is an old man doing what he needs to make sure he can afford servants and a chef, I tend to say that all I see is an old man doing what he needs to make sure ....

[CindyDale]

12. Stability also equates to prestige and influence in the world and to

economic prosperity.

[underpants]

14. Didn't Mao's revolution start in the countryside?

I heard a news story a few weeks ago about the growing resentment of the Chinese in the rural areas. I think they are just trying to keep the masses in line.

[applegrove]

15. The Chinese model will fund universal health care. We liberals

will win out in the end. The USA may be the last place in the semi-developed world to have a form of universal health care... but it will happen. Thank you China.

Universal Health Care is more efficient & equitable & effective than the private model.