China sentences man convicted of "ant" fraud to death..

BBC-- Death Penalty Over China Ant Scam

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The Chinese government has sentenced a man convicted of defrauding several unsuspecting investors out of millions by selling them ants at a disgustingly inflated price. Wang Zhendong promised investors returns of up to 60% if they put their money into the fake ant-breeding program. Wang's scheme caused great distress to his victims, with one man committing suicide because of the despair he suffered after learning that he had squandered his savings on a false investment opportunity.

Human rights activists will likely strike out at the disturbing impudence used by Chinese officials when it comes to the liberal use of the death penalty for matters of economic corruption and fraud. Rent seeking and favor-trading dominate in local Chinese economies, and fraudulent scams are common, but it is difficult for a Western perspective to ever understand how death is a proportionate penalty for fraud. However, it is impossible for a Westerner to ever truly understand the pressures of governing a country of the size and complexity that characterizes modern China.

I suspect that a government truly of the people would never endorse such Draconian policies, but it is unclear to me whether a government "of" 1.4 Billion people could ever effectively manage the development the country has undergone in the post-modern era under the authoritarian Chinese Communist Party.

I originally published this post at one of my other weblogs, China Wakes, and have crossed listed here as I usually do.