one consequence of top-down, move-fast, hit-your-numbers” directives is that local officials often falsify or “sanitize” their reports to make it look as if they’ve met targets.
Hell Fast@hellfast.bsky.social
Because failure can bring harsh punishment—demotions, fines, even imprisonment—mandarins learn quickly to overstate achievements and hide setbacks rather than admit that the demands from above were unrealistic.
Hell Fast·
This “cheating” isn’t just a few rogues: it becomes systemic, distorting the information flow so that the center never gets an accurate picture of project progress or policy impact.