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I mean, China achieves this homeownership rate via liberal use of imminent domain power, cheap labor, shoddy construction, and a lack of worker safety regulation, which allows them to construct large amounts of housing quickly and cheaply.
In, say, France, the government is far less likely to displace people and tear down their homes in order to build a 40 story apartment building. And if someone does decide to build a 40 story apartment building, they need to ensure it won’t create a significant negative impact on the environment, that it will be safe and structurally sound, that the workers are paid decently and mostly go home with all their fingers and toes. France used to be able to build huge amounts of housing - but then they decided they valued human life over making buildings quickly.
The US does all the same things you portray China doing as bad as well. Go look at any inspection videos of new construction housing and you would be appalled at the horrific quality. And those workers are largely undocumented migrants who are getting exploited as well. So someone with my job in China is able to own their own apartment in of similar quality to the one I currently rent. The Chinese government has made it clear that they will not bail out housing speculators to ensure that a home’s primary purpose is providing shelter instead of increasing net worth.
It’s like, if someone says America sucks because it snows so much, and it would be so much better if only it were more like Sweden where the weather is always warm and sunny… then you’re just wrong. You need to update your knowledge and expectations about the world.
Homeownership rates in the US, iirc, are not significantly different from the UK and France, and are significantly better than Germany and Sweden.
Cool, and China has a 90% home ownership rate. So things can also be much better
I mean, China achieves this homeownership rate via liberal use of imminent domain power, cheap labor, shoddy construction, and a lack of worker safety regulation, which allows them to construct large amounts of housing quickly and cheaply.
In, say, France, the government is far less likely to displace people and tear down their homes in order to build a 40 story apartment building. And if someone does decide to build a 40 story apartment building, they need to ensure it won’t create a significant negative impact on the environment, that it will be safe and structurally sound, that the workers are paid decently and mostly go home with all their fingers and toes. France used to be able to build huge amounts of housing - but then they decided they valued human life over making buildings quickly.
So there are trade offs, is what I’m saying
Everything after “China achieves this…”: the source is that you made it the fuck up.
The US does all the same things you portray China doing as bad as well. Go look at any inspection videos of new construction housing and you would be appalled at the horrific quality. And those workers are largely undocumented migrants who are getting exploited as well. So someone with my job in China is able to own their own apartment in of similar quality to the one I currently rent. The Chinese government has made it clear that they will not bail out housing speculators to ensure that a home’s primary purpose is providing shelter instead of increasing net worth.
“Someone else has it worse” has never, EVER been the language of people actually looking to make the world a better place.
This discussion started as a comoarison to other places.
That is not a comparison.
I’m not saying someone else has it worse.
It’s like, if someone says America sucks because it snows so much, and it would be so much better if only it were more like Sweden where the weather is always warm and sunny… then you’re just wrong. You need to update your knowledge and expectations about the world.