tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10698887.post8842496283234157261..comments2023-10-22T18:25:39.688+08:00Comments on The View from Taiwan: Egypt: could it happen in Taiwan?Michael Turtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17974403961870976346noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10698887.post-90698434224247345552011-02-03T00:00:56.799+08:002011-02-03T00:00:56.799+08:00228 was another case of high-unemployment rate, hi...228 was another case of high-unemployment rate, high-inflation (in this case hyper inflation), and dictatorship.Dixteelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05689510846926854542noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10698887.post-80268543743737188752011-02-02T08:13:12.589+08:002011-02-02T08:13:12.589+08:00I think it's far more likely that an Egypt sce...I think it's far more likely that an Egypt scenario would appear in the PRC than in Taiwan - a lot more parallels between that kind of Mubarak regime and the CCP. That being said, as Carlos has pointed out, Egypt's military hasn't been involved much, whereas the PLA is the very arm of the CCP itself. Tienanmen = China's Egypt already. We won't see another Egypt in either case, although the Ma presidency has actually been quite heavy-handed and abusive indeed.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10698887.post-49589498400713145012011-02-02T04:21:50.916+08:002011-02-02T04:21:50.916+08:00There always WAS such a revolution in Taiwan - the...There always WAS such a revolution in Taiwan - the events that led up to 228. But in Egypt's case, the military has taken a neutral stance. Good for them.Carloshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13079284428870214896noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10698887.post-89316880075700673072011-02-02T03:27:09.484+08:002011-02-02T03:27:09.484+08:00Income gini is based on pre-tax incomes, and it of...Income gini is based on pre-tax incomes, and it often does not take into account living costs (as you mentioned food prices).<br /><br />Wealth gini is far more important as far as crime and unrest are concerned.<br /><br />Taiwan could invest more in human capital and infrastructure to help with the problem.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10698887.post-84215098113067708512011-02-01T18:48:21.671+08:002011-02-01T18:48:21.671+08:00Michael, need a correction/update: there's no ...Michael, need a correction/update: there's no capital gains tax, true, but the rich generally aren't very good at investing in stocks and the minimum tax law passed in 2006 requires that gains in shares of private companies be counted towards a minimum tax rate of 20%. In other words, investments in hedge funds, private equity funds, venture capital funds, private placement gains, are all taxed at 20%. There may be cheating, but it's exactly that--you're breaking the law, not just merely "avoiding" taxes.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10698887.post-12039329523459359452011-02-01T16:00:21.112+08:002011-02-01T16:00:21.112+08:00I would say very unlikely. Not saying all things ...I would say very unlikely. Not saying all things are good in Taiwan, but I think a revolution like the one in Egypt requires economic and political problems that are far more severe or drastic than in the current situation. The political and economic environment between Taiwan and Egypt is very different. Numbers cannot tell the whole story.Dixteelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05689510846926854542noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10698887.post-67016400528099393162011-02-01T13:08:51.927+08:002011-02-01T13:08:51.927+08:00I think Taiwan and Egypt's situation's are...I think Taiwan and Egypt's situation's are quite different and have little if anything in common. While I may rage against the uselessness of the police and the damnable bureaucracy in Taiwan at least they work mostly, whereas in Egypt simple things like garbage collection can be a hotly contested religious issue. I think the % of untitled property in Egypt is 85% in the cities and 90+% in the countryside. I'm more interested in the rise of food prices and quantitative easing of the US fed has on that situation.<br /><br />Wall Street didn't cause the financial meltdown; politicians and Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac did. The fact that despite widespread accounting fraud by both of them and their lead role in the housing meltdown is not a front and center role in the investigation speaks volumes. In the pursuit of widespread home ownership, politicians allowed both to start buying subprime mortgages.Okaminoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10698887.post-54632963495058937442011-02-01T12:38:16.186+08:002011-02-01T12:38:16.186+08:00Cough...Egypt Gini is low and more equal then the ...Cough...Egypt Gini is low and more equal then the author think...Artynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10698887.post-2125866928373827152011-01-31T21:57:04.258+08:002011-01-31T21:57:04.258+08:00I love Frank Hsieh's idea of the common ground...I love Frank Hsieh's idea of the common ground between Taiwan and PRC -- that both have fought against the KMT!Dnoreply@blogger.com