China's problem is sometimes to have too much state capacity and too much of an engineering mindset—able to succeed at controlling problems like pandemic spread (2020-2021) but also able to fail catastrophically by overextending that success, as with Shanghai lockdowns that made 25 million people unable to leave apartments or apartment compounds for two months.

causalpending

Speaker

Dan Wong

Evidence Quote

China has a problem sometimes of too much State capacity...the government is able to do a little bit too much...25 million people unable to step outside apartments [32:09], [32:41]

Source

How China Went From Economic Superstar to Faltering GiantThe Ezra Klein Show
Created: 8/12/2026, 6:44:14 PM

My Notes

Loading notes...