The U.S. Election is Kabuki drama. Partially overlapping oligarchical networks have both sides covered. Constricted parameters masquerading as freedom is a well-known feature of the world’s supposedly leading democracy. Many of us understand our choices are not really choices.
The actual dynamics that will drive events are less discussed.
In the commodified capitalist world we live in only money talks. Trees are worth more dead than alive because carbon capture and the spiritual nature of a forest doesn’t count.
Paying for stuff counts which is why the imminent IPO of Ant, by far the biggest and most advanced e-payments co., which just happens to be Chinese-owned, with Alibaba and billionaire businessman Jack Ma in control, was, was about to be the biggest IPO of all-time. Signaling the beginning of the shift from New York or London to Shanghai as a financial center.
Except after everything was 99.9% ready to go, Chinese Regulatory dudes said no.
They hauled Jack Ma out on the carpet and made their own new micropayments standards an issue. Sometimes the line between micropayments and loansharking is not clear. It is not hard to see how that could happen. So new rules were made. Those new rules were the excuse to slam the brakes on Ant.
In reality, no one gives a shit about people being screwed by loan sharks. Pretty much everyone agrees that loan sharking is just an excuse for the Chinese Regulatory bureaucracy to remind Ma who is in charge.
He didn’t appreciate it. He complained publicly because he is a billionaire and he can. He could also end up in prison.
In China, super successful business people are worshipped like rock stars. In Xi’s China there is only room for one rock star.