Gearóid Ó Machail, a member of the National Executive Committee of the Communist Party of Ireland, argues that concentrated economic power in Western societies has allowed a small capitalist class to accumulate wealth and influence, while many working‑class people struggle with the rising cost of living. He also points to growing public dissatisfaction with political institutions and electoral systems. In contrast, he sees China's approach, combining long-term planning, public ownership and state involvement in key economic sectors, as a development model that places greater emphasis on the needs of the wider population.