“Capitalism in Under 30 Minutes”: An Analysis of how YouTubers from Greater China Discuss Capitalism and GrowthCentric Development

Leung, Bonnie Olivia

“Capitalism in Under 30 Minutes”: An Analysis of how YouTubers from Greater China Discuss Capitalism and GrowthCentric Development

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Leung, B. “Capitalism in Under 30 Minutes”: An Analysis of how YouTubers from Greater China Discuss Capitalism and GrowthCentric Development. 2024. handle: http://hdl.handle.net/10230/69901

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Abstract

This dissertation analyses a sample of YouTube videos to determine the perspectives and communication tactics the content creators used to discuss impacts of capitalism and growth-centric development. The sample includes YouTube videos from mainland China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan from 2019 to 2024. The research found that positive and negative impacts of capitalism are often discussed in the temporal framing of past, current, and future generations, while discussions of impacts to current generations are the most prevalent. Although some exceptions of communal or degrowth perspectives exist, discussions on the commodification of labor and nature, as well as solutions to consequences of capitalism are influenced by 20th century Marxist theory which focused on technopositivism and green technology. The use of analogies, provocative imagery, pseudonymity, regional and traditional references, published acadèmic sources and online consensus were used to build credibility, accountability, relatability, and authenticity in the videos.