This week's column in a nutshell
By Thomas P.M. Barnett
ARTICLE: "In Search of . . . Something: A growing number of Chinese, unmoored by rapid change, are finding answers in religion," by Jason Dean and Loretta Chao, Wall Street Journal, 12-13 April 2008, p. R4.
Killer bit:
"When China opened up … many of us believed that the market would save China, and let China become stronger and more civilized," says Zhao Xiao, a Beijing-based economist who writes frequently about religion and morality. "And they were right in a way, because people became successful," he says. "But the market isn't perfect . . . It stimulates greed and arouses desires." As a consequence, says Mr. Zhao, "China is going through a new transformation. This transformation will be the most profound for China—far more important than the superficial changes in wealth."
Bingo! I had clipped the article just after I wrote the religion section of Chapter 11. Too perfect for words. Yes, religion is important during hard times, but it's even more important during boom times. Religion matters most when change comes fastest. The search is "surprisingly broad," we are told. Not so. China's always allowed competition among religions. More religions are globalized now, so more offerings, but the fundamental dynamic was always there, just eliminated during the Maoist madness. For now, China recognizes five approved religions: Buddhism, Taoism, Islam, Protestantism and Catholicism. Zhao wrote a piece and posted it on the web: "Market Economies With Churches, and Market Economies Without Churches." It's a direct U.S.-China comparison that says we do better because our religions allow for a stronger moral foundation. Honestly, we want multiparty democracy ASAP, but everything's falling into place in China quite nicely. |
