This podcast episode explores the reasons behind the extreme inequality in China's political and economic system. The speaker discusses the impact of China's shift to a market economy, challenges faced by PhD students studying China's political system, the lack of a welfare state despite a socialist narrative, the reluctance of the Communist Party to address inequality, the factors contributing to rising inequality, the complexities of taxation and tax reform, Xi Jinping's economic priorities, and potential solutions to address inequality. The episode highlights the puzzling nature of extreme inequality in China given the country's control over resources and socialist heritage.