You're not looking at the Chinese People as whole throughout history and beyond the Boarders of China. Chinese Immigrants have been dominating the economies of South East Asia and many other places long before Mao, Adam Smith or the Karl Marx.
Chinese immigrants and their descendants have a disturbing concentration of wealth in South East Asia. They own nearly everything out there, and despite the massive government corruption present Countries like the Philippines or Indonesia. Despite routine Genocides committed by the SEA natives, and laws that outright treat Chinese as second-class citizens. They have still risen above and are richest people in SEA.
South East Asia isn't a place of Economic freedom or market economies. The Overseas Chinese in SEA didn't need Capitalism to become an Economic powerhouse. The system matters, but it doesn't matter as much as people want to believe.
The libertarians and Neo-liberals believe that ANY nation will be transformed overnight by a free market economy. They are just as bad as the progressives. Only certain nations and certain groups will see massive economic benefits from Capitalism. A nation like China definitely will definitely reap the benefits of a market economy, but there are other nations were Capitalism won't change anything.
