<story><title>China has built the world’s largest bullet-train network</title><url>http://www.economist.com/news/china/21714383-and-theres-lot-more-come-it-waste-money-china-has-built-worlds-largest</url></story><parent_chain><item><author>mseebach</author><text>&amp;gt; I am left with a feeling of awe at China&amp;#x27;s development, and frustration at the UK&amp;#x27;s stagnancy.&lt;p&gt;While the UK does feel particularly stagnated on several fronts, I&amp;#x27;m not sure abandoning the rule of law, protection of private property, labour protections, at least an attempt at the appearance of corruption-free tenders, high safety standards and the principle that people who are affected should be consulted is worthy of much awe.</text></item><item><author>bainsfather</author><text>&amp;quot;Less than a decade ago China had yet to connect any of its cities by bullet train. Today, it has 20,000km (12,500 miles) of high-speed rail lines, more than the rest of the world combined. It is planning to lay another 15,000km by 2025&amp;quot;&lt;p&gt;The contrast to the UK, where we might someday build the HS2 line London-Birmingham-Manchester, is massive.  I am left with a feeling of awe at China&amp;#x27;s development, and frustration at the UK&amp;#x27;s stagnancy.</text></item></parent_chain><comment><author>michaelt</author><text>Some of the UK&amp;#x27;s problems are not due to the rule of law, but the perverse incentives given to politicians.&lt;p&gt;In particular, the system often rewards politicians who delay making tough (or expensive) decisions.&lt;p&gt;For example, building a new power station using the latest green technology causes more protests and opposition than keeping a decrepit, polluting power station running for an extra five years. At which point, in all probability it&amp;#x27;ll be someone else&amp;#x27;s problem.&lt;p&gt;So often, a politician presented with a chance to either approve a power station, or call for more impact assessments&amp;#x2F;consultations&amp;#x2F;reviews, will be rewarded for choosing the latter.</text></comment>
<story><title>China has built the world’s largest bullet-train network</title><url>http://www.economist.com/news/china/21714383-and-theres-lot-more-come-it-waste-money-china-has-built-worlds-largest</url></story><parent_chain><item><author>mseebach</author><text>&amp;gt; I am left with a feeling of awe at China&amp;#x27;s development, and frustration at the UK&amp;#x27;s stagnancy.&lt;p&gt;While the UK does feel particularly stagnated on several fronts, I&amp;#x27;m not sure abandoning the rule of law, protection of private property, labour protections, at least an attempt at the appearance of corruption-free tenders, high safety standards and the principle that people who are affected should be consulted is worthy of much awe.</text></item><item><author>bainsfather</author><text>&amp;quot;Less than a decade ago China had yet to connect any of its cities by bullet train. Today, it has 20,000km (12,500 miles) of high-speed rail lines, more than the rest of the world combined. It is planning to lay another 15,000km by 2025&amp;quot;&lt;p&gt;The contrast to the UK, where we might someday build the HS2 line London-Birmingham-Manchester, is massive.  I am left with a feeling of awe at China&amp;#x27;s development, and frustration at the UK&amp;#x27;s stagnancy.</text></item></parent_chain><comment><author>bainsfather</author><text>That&amp;#x27;s a valid point.  And there is always a tendency to see the good points in other countries and the bad points in your own.&lt;p&gt;In this case (and also in e.g. building new power stations, new housing, widening roads, expanding London&amp;#x27;s airports, etc) the contrast is so stark.  For sure the UK needn&amp;#x27;t abandon rule of law in order to build infrastructure in a timely manner.</text></comment>