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Satellite Data Strongly Suggests That China, Russia and Other Authoritarian Countries Are Fudging Their GDP Reports (washingtonpost.com)

Posted by msmash on from the closer-look dept.

Christopher Ingraham, writing for The Washington Post: China, Russia and other authoritarian countries inflate their official GDP figures by anywhere from 15 to 30 percent in a given year, according to a new analysis of a quarter-century of satellite data. The working paper, by Luis R. Martinez of the University of Chicago, also found that authoritarian regimes are especially likely to artificially boost their gross domestic product numbers in the years before elections, and that the differences in GDP reporting between authoritarian and non-authoritarian countries can't be explained by structural factors, such as urbanization, composition of the economy or access to electricity. Martinez's findings are derived from a novel data source: satellite imagery that tracks changes in the level of nighttime lighting within and between countries over time.

6 of 175 comments (clear)

  1. No Sh1t Sherlock by DatbeDank · · Score: 3, Funny

    If you really believe China's GDP numbers have been that hilarious 7% growth for the past few years, I have a presidency to sell you.

    Sincerely,
    Russia /sar

    1. Re:No Sh1t Sherlock by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Funny

      If you really believe China's GDP numbers have been that hilarious 7% growth for the past few years, I have a presidency to sell you.

      Sincerely,
      Russia /sar

      Hillary lost. Get over it.

    2. Re:No Sh1t Sherlock by iMadeGhostzilla · · Score: 4, Funny

      She only lost because Russia and China inflated their GDP. That, and a bit of Comey. And misogyny of course.

  2. Authoritarian countries? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    You say that like the US ain't one too.

    1. Re:Authoritarian countries? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

      When I was in the USSR, a Ukranian told me that he was just as free as I. He said I could go stand in front of the White House and yell, "George Bush is a fool!" with no recourse. He said he could also go stand in the middle of Red Square and shout, "George Bush is a fool!" with no recourse too.

  3. Glorious Leader by Zorro · · Score: 4, Funny

    North Korea wishes to point out its superiority in cloaking devices.

    They only appear to be in the dark.