historical state-run commerce; current bureaucratic state-owned enterprise or personnel
Meanings
2 senses · 5 examplesnoun
historical state-run commerce; government merchant
archaicRefers to commercial activities or merchants officially operated by the government in historical contexts.
The salt trade during the Qing dynasty was mainly controlled by government merchants.
This time-honored brand was previously a joint venture between the government and merchants.
noun
bureaucratic state-owned enterprise or its personnel
derogatoryUsed pejoratively to describe state-owned enterprises or their staff that are inefficient, rigid, and prioritizes bureaucracy over service.
This kind of service attitude is simply typical bureaucratic enterprise behavior.
Ordinary people are very dissatisfied with the monopoly and inefficiency of some bureaucratic state-owned enterprises.
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We need to break the pattern of the integration of government and commerce and introduce market competition.