Not regulating China when they did the same with photovoltaic cells is what destroyed the German photovoltaic industry, which before that was leading.
Comment on Chinese EV maker BYD says new fast-charging system could be as quick as filling up a tank
JustAnotherKay@lemmy.world 5 weeks agoGovernment providing money to create innovative new tech and make it available at a lowe cost to their constituents
Manipulating the prices to be lower
I just wanted to point out the pervasiveness of capitalist propaganda here. They’re not manipulating prices, they’re helping their people. It just so happens that our capitalistic systems don’t do well when someone helps their neighbor because then we can’t abuse them.
Now don’t get me wrong though, I’m not gonna sit here and tell you the Chinese government does no wrong. But in just this particular case I think we’re picking the wrong battle
pumpkinseedoil@mander.xyz 5 weeks ago
JustAnotherKay@lemmy.world 5 weeks ago
China helping it’s people in a social way destroyed the soul-crushing capitalist system of the western world
Doesn’t sound too bad when you put it that way. China could go about it better, with worker rights and whatnot, but the government pumping money into the hands of the everyman is not something I can be against
pumpkinseedoil@mander.xyz 5 weeks ago
The reasons why China can produce so much cheaper than Germany are because Germany pays fair wages, has to get enough taxes to pay for free healthcare and the welfare system, provides free access to education (including universities), has very high environmental standards, …
You may be calling a social democracy “soul-crushing capitalist system”. I call it home (not Germany specifically but also a social democracy), freedom for everyone to follow their dreams (you can be completely poor and still study whatever you want (with a side job if subsidies aren’t high enough) to get the job you want).
When I need medical help I go to the hospital (or even call an ambulance if it’s urgent), get treated, and leave without having to pay anything. For university I’m paying 27€ (~30$) per semester. On the streets you barely see homeless people because there are places where they can go to find food, shelter and advice. Etc.
Paying 50% of my income (only like 30% when not earning that much) in taxes is well worth it. Sure, private insurance might be better for me personally. But it brings me joy to be able to support this system, all those happy people are well worth the slight extra cost.
Enelop@lemm.ee 5 weeks ago
And stop persecuting Uyghurs and what not.
jaxxed@lemmy.ml 5 weeks ago
It is capitalist perspective, but not propaganda.
If there is meant to be capitalist competition then the competitors should not be massively funded by the government. China massively funds their electric car industry, principally because they own them.
That said, US carmakers get Government bailouts all the time.
JustAnotherKay@lemmy.world 5 weeks ago
Right but it’s the specific use of the phrase “manipulating prices.”
Manipulating has a negative connotation, it’s a buzzword used often in capitalist propaganda. They’re not manipulating prices, they’re subsidizing the industry so that their people can reap the benefits of their taxes in a tangible way. The same way we subsidize farmers, and our EV industry. We just don’t subsidize it as much.
jaxxed@lemmy.ml 5 weeks ago
You are right
prettybunnys@sh.itjust.works 5 weeks ago
Flooding the market with impossibly cheap products that can’t be competed against isn’t a good thing when anyone does it.
JustAnotherKay@lemmy.world 5 weeks ago
They’re not impossibly cheap. They just require support from a larger group like a government subsidy instead of a single corporation’s influence.
If there’s nothing wrong with the quality of the product then they’re not doing anything wrong. They’re just challenging the rest of the world to reduce their prices and increase their quality to beat the competition.