Anti-capitalist tirades go viral in China

IN THE BOOMING realm of short-video apps in China, the most popular clips often feature silly gags or cute animals, or both. Recently, however, a different genre has climbed the charts: criticism of capitalism. In December a user going by the name Zeng Shike posted a video on Douyin, the inside-China version of TikTok. In it he lambasted Jack Ma, an e-commerce tycoon, for being a selfish capitalist. “These big shots are trampling on small merchants,” he said in the amateurish production: just a city scene with a voice-over. “It used to be about serving people and making life more convenient. Now they’re causing financial trouble and harming society.”

Mr Ma’s business has been in the government’s sights, too. On November 3rd Ant Group, a fintech company that he founded, was forced to halt what would have been the world’s biggest initial public offering because of new regulations that will up-end its business model. It was after this that he became a lightning rod for online rants against capitalism. (Mr Ma disappeared from public view for nearly three months, but re-emerged on January 20th to give an online speech to rural teachers.)