The following is an interesting article from the Sydney Morning Herald. Although things have changed a lot in China over the last few years, one can be forgiven for forgetting that it is still a 'communist' country, as this Shanghai court reaffirmed:
A court has rejected a local businessman's request to use the word "capitalist" in his company's name, although private business now makes up over half China's GDP.
The Shanghai court said the use of the word in the still officially communist country "runs against the nature of the country's socialist system".
Liu Yuzhang, 36, lodged his legal request six months ago after government officials refused to let him register his company as Shanghai Capitalist Competitiveness Co Ltd, said the official news agency, Xinhua .
"Under current circumstances, the use of the word in a company name may produce negative results and misguide the public," it quoted the court as saying.
Court officials were not immediately available for comment.
Liu said the word "capitalist" referred to entrepreneurship, and the city should permit its use to "keep pace with the times". This is a catchphrase used widely by the Communist Party, which is trying to adapt to retain its monopoly on political power and relevance in an increasingly market-driven economy.
Liu said he hoped the case would encourage "ideological debate" among the public, Xinhua said.
The Government sees the growing private sector as the key to boosting the economy and heading off potential social unrest by creating millions of jobs for workers being laid off from the bloated state-owned sector.
Calling it "socialism with Chinese characteristics", the party has even admitted a few private businessmen into its ranks.
But official wariness persists and many entrepreneurs aim to keep a low profile.
5:06:33 PM 
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