Black Cat vs. White Cat

"No matter if it is a white cat or a black cat, as long as it can catch mice, it is a good cat", cited the late Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping, who embarked on the modern reform of China thirty years ago.

It has been the motto of the get-rich-quickly generation in China since then. It doesn't matter if it is called socialism or capitalism, as long as it brings prosperity, it is good.

For the Chinese have learnt long long time ago that the only thing that doesn't change is change itself, as said in "Yi Jing", nothing holds constant overtime.

Now we learnt that free market doesn't have the monopoly of economic development. The historical steps taken by the US and European governments these days are likely to set off a new era of capitalism.

Another popular saying by Deng Xiaoping is " to cross the river by touching the stones". When there is no road map, you should take incremental steps and make sure each step is steady and firm on the ground and toward your goal.

Those principles turned out to be very beneficial to the recent Chinese economic development. Is there any inspiration to us in the US as we tread into the uncharted water?

American Capitalism vs. Chinese Capitalism

My 3rd grader Evelyn got a pair of glasses finally. She usually reads about an hour every day at home. We had imposed limit on her reading of no more than 30 minutes at a time, however, she often protests and cries that we are "bossing around", even though she can tell why having the limit helps her eyes.

I got my first pair of glasses when I was in the 5th grade. My parents did similar things as we do to Evelyn. I was glad that they took care of me. "Why didn't I have the idea of "bossing"?

That has to do with the culture, I concluded, so is the different styles of capitalism.

American capitalism is characterized as free market. Chinese capitalism is characterized as government controlled development. After all, having parents at control is usually safe.

When my father passed away ten years ago, I suddenly realized that I was shouldering the burden of life on my own from then on. I suddendly realized how nice it had been to have a place that I could always call home and that my parents would always be ready to accept me no matter what happens.

Knowing that my parents always keep eyes on me made me always careful not to inflict any troubles. I learnt to make my own decisions and I didn't want my parents to worry about me at all.