Jack Ma: From "Papa Ma" to "Capitalist"?

Jack Ma: From "Papa Ma" to "Capitalist"?"I don't like money, I'm not interested in money!" The man who once took the college entrance exam three times, founded Alibaba, and became the "Papa Ma" people chased after, was an idol in many people's hearts. Now when people mention Jack Ma, it's more often associated with "capitalist," and even some of his actions have drawn criticism from official sources

Jack Ma: From "Papa Ma" to "Capitalist"?

"I don't like money, I'm not interested in money!" The man who once took the college entrance exam three times, founded Alibaba, and became the "Papa Ma" people chased after, was an idol in many people's hearts. Now when people mention Jack Ma, it's more often associated with "capitalist," and even some of his actions have drawn criticism from official sources. So what exactly has he done? Could it be, as some netizens say, that he's gotten what he deserves?

Jack Ma's legendary first half of life, from his early scores and experiences, would have made anyone doubt his future success. As we all know, Jack Ma is a native of Hangzhou. Although he was not a good student in his younger years, his English was outstanding. However, due to his severe academic bias, it took him two years to get into an ordinary high school. You can imagine how much his scores worried his parents.

In 1982, Jack Ma prepared for the college entrance exam for three years, facing his first attempt. However, he scored only 1 point in mathematics and ultimately failed. The following year, although his math score improved by 18 points, it still severely affected his overall score, and he failed again. Looking at his math scores, even Jack Ma's parents thought their son wasn't cut out for academics. Despite this, he didn't give up. Even when he worked during the day, he would stay up late at night to study. Finally, in his third attempt, he scored 89 points in mathematics and was eventually admitted to Hangzhou Teachers College as a junior college student.

It seems like fate was on his side because, at that time, the college didn't have enough applicants for its English program. Because of his excellent English scores, Jack Ma was exceptionally assigned to the Foreign Languages Department for undergraduate studies. In college, Jack Ma's brilliance began to shine through. He became the president of the student union, showcasing his exceptional capabilities, even impressing the school leadership. They were so impressed that they specifically talked to Jack Ma, hoping he would stay at the school to teach and that he wouldn't leave for five years.

Jack Ma's encounter with the internet was also very unusual. At the time, because he was good at English, he was entrusted to go to America to pursue a "cross-border debt." But when he arrived, he discovered it was a fraudulent company that even tried to lure him into joining them. Luckily, Jack Ma was clever and managed to escape after a few days. However, he didn't choose to return to China, instead going to Seattle. This experience marked his first encounter with the internet.

Like an old farmer entering the city for the first time, Jack Ma was afraid to even touch the computer, worried he would break it and have to pay for it. It was during this visit that he decided on his entrepreneurial path. After returning to China, he found a friend to start a business with, but because this industry was rare in China, they thought it was unreliable. However, Jack Ma didn't give up. Instead, he and his wife pooled together 100,000 yuan in startup capital and founded their own internet company, "China Yellow Pages." At that time, besides the couple, the company only had three other employees.

As the saying goes, all beginnings are difficult. To get the company up and running, Jack Ma went door-to-door promoting his business, even being mistaken for a scammer. Fortunately, someone recognized his potential, and the company thrived. When the China International Electronic Commerce Center was established, Jack Ma was invited to Beijing, which opened his eyes to a broader world. He went north with a few of his friends, six of them renting a small 20-square-meter room and working hard for 14 months.

It seemed like he was doing a lot, but not achieving much. Seeing how Sina and Yahoo were growing bigger and bigger, he felt trapped in the industry, always feeling like he was paving the way for others. So, he made a decision: to return to Hangzhou ...

In 1999, Jack Ma, with 18 of his trusted associates, founded Alibaba. Initially, as promised, everyone's monthly salary was only 500 yuan. Yet, they were full of enthusiasm. Despite eating three-yuan boxed lunches every day and sharing a floor mattress, they never thought of giving up. Since their initial funding was only 500,000 yuan, pooled from their own pockets and borrowed from others, they followed the principle of spending where necessary and saving where possible, leading a somewhat "poor" life. Today, however, those people are all multi-millionaires, living the good life.

Although they couldn't find investors initially, Jack Ma still believed that Alibaba would become the "largest internet company in the world." His hard work finally paid off. He met Joe Tsai, a Yale graduate. At that time, Joe Tsai was already earning $700,000 a year. With his financial capacity, he could have easily bought several Alibabas. But surprisingly, after listening to Jack Ma's presentation, Joe Tsai immediately offered to join. His involvement solved Alibaba's funding problems.

Following the establishment of Taobao and Alipay, Alibaba soared, finally going public in New York in 2014. People looked at this man, whose appearance and height didn't stand out, and realized that he was incredibly ambitious and different. Overnight, Jack Ma became a household name. Many people looked at his path to fame and found it inspiring, some even considering him an idol, using his story to motivate themselves.

But no one expected that this successful entrepreneur would become the "evil capitalist" in people's mouths. Why is that? In fact, looking at what Jack Ma has done in recent years, it's possible that he has changed...

Three Unforgivable Sins

"I'm not interested in money!" Perhaps these words exposed Jack Ma's true colors...

Although Jack Ma said this, is it really true? After all, every merchant that joins must sign an exclusive agreement, prohibiting them from cooperating with other platforms besides Alibaba. On the surface, he claims not to like money, but then he turns around and spends a fortune acquiring Intime Department Store and Wanda Department Store, expanding his reach into the offline retail market, trying to build a closed business loop online and offline.

As Jack Ma's ambitions grew, the national anti-monopoly iron fist struck, and Alibaba was at the forefront. Investigation into Alibaba's monopolistic practices led to a hefty fine of 18.22 billion yuan. This hammer served as a warning to Alibaba not to challenge market rules.

As we all know, the Taobao platform, as China's earliest e-commerce platform, enjoyed the benefits of first-mover advantage, with a large user base and market share that once reached nearly 70%, giving it an absolute market dominance. However, this monopoly didn't lead to prosperity but rather to market disorder and the lack of fair competition.

Online price wars intensified. In a bid to attract users, platforms and merchants were willing to sacrifice profits, driving prices to the lowest possible levels. This was a clear disaster for offline physical stores. The market tilted in favor of online, squeezing other e-commerce platforms, forcing them to struggle for survival in the cracks. Consumers, while seemingly benefiting from lower prices, actually had their choices limited, leaving them to only consume on a single platform.

The regulatory authorities stepped in to conduct an anti-monopoly investigation, restoring market order and encouraging the development and growth of other e-commerce platforms, injecting new vitality into the market. This not only protected consumer rights but also maintained fair market competition.

The sudden halt of Ant Group's IPO plans was a blow to Jack Ma.

Moreover, his promotion of the "996" work system unabashedly revealed his "evil capitalist" face. Working from 9 am to 9 pm, six days a week, for a total of 60 hours, this wasn't just a work system but a distorted corporate culture, a pathological value system. This news sparked endless debates.

He also defended "996" claiming that it was a necessary means for employees to improve efficiency and promote economic development. However, such a claim was merely a fig leaf for capitalists exploiting their employees. Employee rights were trampled upon, excessive work leading to physical and mental health exhaustion. All this was trivial in the face of massive profits.

Even more frightening was the "involution" atmosphere created by "996," pushing some companies into irrational competition, exacerbating workplace anxiety and social pressure.

Jack Ma's success is undeniable, but he is merely a lucky beneficiary of the times, having seized the opportunity of the internet, creating a business miracle. However, the halo of success cannot conceal the risks of capital expansion. When companies prioritize profits and neglect social responsibility, they ultimately suffer the consequences.

Now, Alibaba is celebrating its 25th anniversary. Jack Ma said that Alibaba is Alibaba because it has an idealistic spirit. He remains convinced that his company can continue its journey for 102 years.

So, do you think he still has his original intentions?

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