Why China’s Elite Are Loyal to the Party (Episode 2)

Описание: 📘 Based on The Highest Exam: How the Gaokao Shapes China (2025) by Ruixue Jia, Hongbin Li & Claire Cousineau — Get the book → https://amzn.to/4qlLEsS

💥 Why China’s Elite Are Loyal to the Party
In the West, the brightest minds dream of startups and independence. In China, they dream of the state.
At Tsinghua University — China’s MIT — 64% of top graduates say their ideal job is not in tech or finance, but in government. Why?

This episode reveals the ancient logic behind that choice — a 1,300-year-old system designed to make the smartest people serve the Emperor, not challenge him. From the imperial exam system of the Tang Dynasty to the modern Communist Party’s promotion tournaments, the same formula endures: loyalty through merit.

In this episode, you’ll learn:
📜 How China’s imperial exam (科举) created a loyal, educated bureaucracy
🏛️ Why the “Centralized Hierarchical Tournament” still defines modern governance
💰 How the state recruits top graduates with invisible perks — housing, healthcare, and Beijing residency
📈 Why local officials compete for promotions based on GDP growth
⚙️ How China’s political “tournament” powered the world’s fastest economic rise
🧨 And why that same system may now be reaching its limits — as loyalty replaces performance

For a thousand years, China’s rulers have solved the problem every empire faces:
How to keep the smartest people inside the system — not outside trying to overthrow it.

But as China moves from growth to innovation, can a machine built for obedience create originality?

Disclaimer:
This video reflects an independent interpretation of the ideas discussed in the book. It was created for learning and analysis, and is not reviewed or endorsed by the author. The narration uses AI-generated voice for clarity and consistency.