Xi has become fond of talking about the “Chinese dream,” which obviously sounds a lot like the “American dream,” over the last few years. Are they similar?
Not really. The “American dream” revolves around individual aspirations and limited government; the gist of it is that if you work hard and keep your nose clean, the government will do nothing to stop you from becoming prosperous. If the nation as a whole benefits from your success, so much the better, but that isn’t the focus of the idea. By contrast, the essence of the “Chinese dream,” as far as I can tell, is that China will become wealthier and regain its proper position among nations as a result of wise public policy, and that each individual Chinese citizen will share in the benefits of that.
Think of it as a battle between the invisible and a very visible hand.