From the article, Xi looks down on western “Welfarism”, he believes it makes the population lazy.

impossiblefork 3 hours ago | parent | next [-]

As a westerner who has at least to some degree been influenced by socialism ideologically, but who perhaps isn't a communist (I don't know what my ideology really is-- and who does), I don't necessarily dislike welfare, but I don't want to build society on it. Instead I want some element of an actual 'to each according to his contribution'-type thing with an exception so that we treat disabled people and others who can't work or who for different reasons end up being unproductive in an acceptable way.

So I don't think this is necessarily unusual in the west either, especially not if you look back to 1950s or 1960s Swedish social democrats.

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tmp10423288442 6 hours ago | parent | prev [-]

And this is not something he came up with. This is a restatement of Stalin's philosophy, taken directly from the New Testament (remember that Stalin was training to be a priest in his youth): "He who does not work, neither shall he eat".

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graemep 6 hours ago | parent [-]

The translations I can find say:

"“If anyone is not willing to work, neither should he eat.”

Not, not working, but being lazy and refusing to do necessary work. A scrounger exploiting the kindness of others. Very likely addressed to a community with limited resources.

it goes on to say:

"For we hear that some among you are living an undisciplined life, not doing their own work but meddling in the work of others. Now such people we command and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to work quietly and so provide their own food to eat. But you, brothers and sisters, do not grow weary in doing what is right. But if anyone does not obey our message through this letter, take note of him and do not associate closely with him, so that he may be ashamed. Yet do not regard him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother."

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tmp10423288442 5 hours ago | parent | next [-]

That's true, but the context is Xi being against Western "Welfarism". I presume (although I don't know for sure) that they're not against some support for the truly disabled, but that doesn't cover able-bodied people being on welfare for long periods, even if the employment market is unfavorable. The major exception is that Chinese people have traditionally been able to retire relatively young (in their 50s or even 40s sometimes) and receive support, particularly if they work for state-owned enterprises.

	▲	graemep 5 hours ago \| parent [-]
		I agree, just wanted to point out its not as simple as Bible to Stalin to Xi - for one thing the "willing to" being removed makes it different.. Lenin said it too, and I do not think his meaning was as harsh as Stalin's, as the latter said it during a famine.

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petre 5 hours ago | parent | prev [-]

> not doing their own work but meddling in the work of others

Sounds like Stalin, Putin and others like them.