Tom Orlik, Columnist

No, Graft Isn't Good for Growth

Xi Jinping's corruption crackdown isn't to blame for China's slump.

June 28, 2016 at 12:55 AM UTC

Tom Orlik is the chief economist for Bloomberg Economics. He’s the author of “Understanding China’s Economic Indicators,” a guide to China’s economic data. He’s based in Washington, DC, following more than a decade in Beijing.

Cutting back on banquets isn't to blame for China's slowdown.
Photographer: Peter Charlesworth/LightRocket/Getty Images

Provide news feedback or report an error

Site feedback:

Take our Survey

This article is for subscribers only.

Some critics dismiss President Xi Jinping’s massive anti-graft campaign as a political witch hunt directed at his enemies. Others have a different complaint: They argue that bribes and favors have historically served as the grease in the wheels of China’s growth. By disrupting the traditional flow of business, they contend, Xi’s graft enforcers have brought the country’s economic engine grinding to a halt.

QuickTake China's Pain Points