From: jimruttshow8596
The Chinese social operating system is described as unique and intriguing, distinct from previously observed models [00:03:00].
General Observations and Pace of Change
Visitors to China consistently note the striking pace of change [00:01:57]. In the business sector, there is a visible concentration of wealth and the confidence it brings [00:02:15]. China aims to reclaim what it perceives as its natural place as the central country in the world, and all its actions reflect this ambition [00:02:20].
Despite rapid changes, some aspects remain consistent. Contacts in academia describe a continued cheerfulness, sincerity, goodwill, joy in community, and collaboration, along with a general friendliness and welcoming attitude [00:02:35].
Nature of Governance
The Chinese concept of good governance, historically, has been “benevolent dictatorship” [00:03:10]. This shapes their perspective on what is achievable and what does not need to be attempted [00:03:14]. Observers note China’s awareness of global innovations in opinion manipulation [00:03:23], and they appear to distrust civil society as a mechanism for control, believing instead that central control is possible [00:03:27]. This centralized control is viewed as an “engineering project” [00:03:34].
Historically, China’s governance has experienced “punctuated equilibrium,” where highly centralized command and control systems function until they rapidly break down [00:03:45]. The current attempt to achieve “at least metastable” centralized control with modern tools is considered an interesting experiment, with the outcome uncertain [00:03:57]. Experts suggest that China is combining centralized control with an attempt at innovation, which was previously believed to be impossible [00:04:12].
The Chinese model is seen as a competing approach to social organization [00:04:27].
AI and Data Strategy
China is leveraging what is termed “follower syndrome,” rapidly adopting technology and expertise from the West rather than having to invent as much [00:04:34]. This has enabled them to rise faster and better than predecessors like Japan in certain areas [00:04:45]. In AI, China is at or near the state-of-the-art [00:04:50].
A key aspect of their AI strategy is data accumulation. The foundational ideas of deep learning are not new, but their viability depends on the scale of computing and, critically, training set data [00:05:11]. China is poised to become the world’s largest repository of integrated data in the coming decades [00:05:31]. They understand the criticality of data for deep learning [00:05:47] and are wiring up their society to produce significantly more data than countries like the U.S., partly due to having five times as many people [00:06:02]. The question remains whether this increase in scale will lead to new conceptual breakthroughs in AI [00:05:38].
Challenges and Future Perspectives on Governance
A core challenge for societal systems like China’s is managing hierarchical structures and control systems [01:17:33]. A controller must be able to influence the controlled system, but this also means the controller can be wrong and give incorrect instructions for extended periods without immediate feedback, potentially leading to system crashes [01:17:42]. This issue is observed across various levels, from business firms to national economies and the sustainability of social order, and is fundamental to understanding democracy [01:18:04].
There is a meta question regarding what common element is being misunderstood across these complex challenges and how to improve the approach to them [01:18:27]. The need to create emergent entities with multiple levels that cohere in real-time, analogous to the human body’s astounding homeostasis of billions of autonomous cells, is highlighted [01:18:43].
In discussing governance and societal structures, the idea of revitalizing a “mezzo scale” (communities of hundreds to a few thousand people) is proposed [01:22:08]. However, Chinese governance appears to distrust this mezzo scale, actively seeking to weaken and replace it with centralized control [01:22:33]. Understanding the reasons behind this distrust, their perceived ability to function without it, and what they believe can replace it would be highly informative for global discussions on institutional design [01:22:52]. A frontline documentary on AI in the context of Chinese governance is suggested as a starting point for further exploration of this topic [01:23:20].
[!NOTE|Recommended Reading] A specific documentary mentioned is “AI in the context of Chinese governance” (unnamed, possibly Frontline). [01:23:20]