ECON 212 (Econ211)

Central planning with public ownership has failed in China as it has done elsewhere This is because: Marx’s solution to capitalism is flawed Mao’s paranoia of insecurity overrides the interests of the common people The right choice to make China great again is to turn towards an open market economy (capitalism)

You need to answer all three questions, which carry equal weight. This is an open-book exam. For each question, you should provide a concise summary of the corresponding lecture, demonstrating your understanding of the content. You may incorporate your own opinions in your answers.

The rural-urban divide is an entrenched gap in productivity, income and living standards It is further aggravated by the village ownership of rural land It is frozen by the hukou system, in effect, one country with two two social insurance systems and two classes of people It is a fundamental source of poverty and social injustice It constrains household consumption and leads to a ridiculously high national saving rate And it is also the root of cheap labor and the Chinese advantage

What has been accomplished in urbanization? Why is the current mode unsustainable? What should be the right way?

The official narrative What has changed under Xi Jinping? Xi’s dream