It has been since Deng

That is what I worry about, that your plan has that fundamental tension between the corporate classes and the state and I can't help but feel the corporate classes will find a way to further influence the state to support them.

They keep the relation pretty symbiotic. Don't get me wrong, if Jack Ma were to go against the party he'd be gone quickly

He rules his corporate fiefdom in exchange for fidelity to a more a powerfull liege

The CCP is basically "Don't insult us and we are in charge, but other than that, do whatever and give us money", still quite the leeway

But it works

If you look at dissent in China it's mostly from wealthy wagies

The big question is if overtime, the corporate classes can make the CCP more open to certain forms of liberalization, especially if the state officials and corporate executives end up being the same people or are related.

I don't think so because you don't end up in the CCP because of your wealth, you join the CCP to rise up the ranks in the economy.
If reform were to happen in China the party would need to have some sort of epiphany

The party might change on economics but not on the position of the party

The one time China came close to liberalization was before Tiananmen squarw

The CCP's only principles is to ensure it is in charge and Chinese Nationalism with a Red Aesthetic. I wonder how much it is willing to open to other values that do not directly threaten those two tenets

It'll never abandon the three principles of the people. It will at most reinterpret them

I think they were nationalism, democracy and welfare and or socialism (big debate between CCP and KMT)

The CCP basically is the KMT now but with more Mao nostalgia

Really I don't see top down political liberalization happening in China

The system has to die for that to happen

Which it might. The Xinhai rebellion happened because foreigners were building railroads and it lead to the death of the Qing

Have China continue to kick the hornets' nest that is Hong Kong and it might actually kill itself

The only states that are competing with the Neoliberal "Democratic" System of the West, economically and power wise, is China, Russia, and Saudi Arabia. I see the Saudis still keeping hold, China is still doing well, how is Russia doing?

(Iran and North Korea are merely just trying to survive so they don't count here)

Russia has always been weird. With Putins new political reforms he seems to take a more pro western stance on surface level but if you look a little deeper is mostly a cosmetic change. Russia is still being Russia in that its going its own way and not really changing for anyone else in any meaningful way.

I would say its more suseptible to liberal changes than China just because the parlimentary system there allows a level of intrests goup pressure to be applied and gives more power to rich people. Chinas rich people that influence the government tend to get arrested at a much higher rate than their russian counterparts

Economically: China, the West, and Saudi Arabia are becoming closer, I don't see that much with Russia minus exporting natural gas to Europe

Because of American sanctions on Russia they are becoming self sufficient

IDK much about the Saudis but China is getting closer but as always they arnt playing by the wests rules

Their economic participation is more merchantile than it is free market

Define saudi arabia getting closer to the west
tell me, where are the gay parades and sexual education of kids in kinder garden

i dont see that happening in KSA

Obviously not, but Western pressure is still present, I mean they now allow women to drive, trying to be more open to tourist, etc.

>they only allow women to drive in the presence of their husband

The fact that it relies on the American Empire for protection should mean that there is definitely alot of pressure to liberalize

And, don't forget, Saudi Arabia is now being more friendly to Israel in the name of fighting Iran

>why would a tourist go to a tyranical dictatorship and possibley get arrested over breaking some trivial law

Before the KSD had a ace in the oil trade so they could resist the American Empires social demands but now the US has the shale revolution

that blocker is gone

exactly

Now US protection comes at a price

their valuable resource has alot less weight than it did when they originally allied economically

Keep in mind the americans will still protect saudi arabia because of the petro dollar and saudi control of OPEC

@vexmasina44 It is possible they can exempt tourists of that law if tourism becomes too profitable. Saudi Arabia is trying to diversify their economy with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman