The interesting stuff is on rules. We're not exactly talking about rule of law here, just whether China is a place with a lot of rules. Fallows, comparing China with Japan, says that Chinese will follow any path to get something done, while the Japanese are interested in the proper way to do things in the first place.
Paul disagrees with Fallows, noting that in his experience, China is chock full of rules for doing just about anything and that the Chinese prefer professionalism to ad hoc-ism. So who is right, and what's the argument?
They're both right, 'cause when folks make generalizations, this is what you get.
For what it's worth, this is my take:
There is no way to really measure the level of "rules" present in a society because they come in all shapes and sizes, some official and some customary, etc. There are a lot of things here that require jumping through lots of hoops. Setting up a foreign subsidiary is one example. Takes a day or two in the U.S. and can take six weeks just for approval over here.
Lots of rules for certain kinds of business. IT industry, pharmaceuticals, entertainment. A great deal of red tape, lots of hassles. But look at the myriad of regulations and government oversight in the US and EU. Lots more rules there, but in those countries, there are a lot more professionals whose job it is to deal with them and make the process easier.
Lots of rules for certain personal transactions in China. Banking is one (foreign exchange anyone?), paying bills (e.g. utilities) can be a hassle. Seems like there are difficult procedures for a lot of things that should be done much more easily. Some of this has to do with technology, and I agree with Paul, who I think is suggesting that when experience and tech allow for a "better way" to do things, China jumps all over those opportunities. Just think about how many online transactions are possible here now compared to a few years ago.
However . . . despite all the rules, I wouldn't necessarily call this a country with a penchant for excessive rules. But it depends on what we refer to as rules.
For the most part, in China:
- I can go into a store with a Coke and not get yelled at for bringing in food. For that matter, I can bring a Subway sandwich into a Starbucks and eat it with my coffee (and only get a nasty look instead of being yelled at for polluting the place with "outside food").
- I can wear a hat during dinner and not be stared at disapprovingly by someone for having bad manners.
- I can walk down the street drinking a beer.
- I can blow my nose on the ground (not that I would want to) without a cop arresting me.
You get the point — people here enjoy a lot of personal freedom without a lot of customs and rules getting in the way. Yes, there are also lots of exceptions.