For Jack Ma, The Cost Of Insubordination Is $11 Billion (And Counting)

Poor Jack Ma. I mean, not really. Things can't be all that bad if you're the 25th richest person on the planet. But as far as people who are worth $51 billion go, "poor" Jack Ma. Jack was informally accused of a crime early last month, and suffice to say most people don't think what he did was any semblance of criminal. During a speech in late October, Ma suggested China's regulators might be stifling innovation in the country. So, his offense can be loosely described as "opening one's mouth

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6 thoughts on “For Jack Ma, The Cost Of Insubordination Is $11 Billion (And Counting)

  1. A message to all Chinese up-and-coming entrepreneurs?
    Maybe if the appropriate “cut” is paid to Xi and cronies, they will be allowed to continue?
    Furthermore, in the scheme of things, this seems less draconian that how China is treating Hong Kong- as the world quietly looks the other way….

    1. This isn’t about money. In China power is the currency that matters and power requires obedience. Jack Ma forgot that he is only a billionaire. In the US that goes a long way. In China it puts you beneath most party officials / bureaucrats.

  2. While we spend our time reading Milton Friedman and “Adam Smith goes to Washington” the Chinese revisit the “Art of War”. Maybe they see more benefits from Friedrich List’s “Das nationale System der politischen Ökonomie” than Smith’s invisible hand. Or perhaps Xi just picked up a copy of “The Myth of Capitalism” on Amazon.

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