Name for me ONE, only ONE mind you, communist state that has become democractic voluntarily.
I guess it would be East Germany or Poland, if I am not wrong.
The Chinese people will have just as much "freedom" as the "paternalist elites" think they should have.
Perhaps, it is like Father and Son relationship. How far would a father let his son to be "radical left" or "extreme liberal" enough for freedom ? I mean freedom in what degree ? That's the main question.
And since ignorance is the sworn enemy of freedom (or at least free thought), what makes you believe it is in their interest to educate the ignorant peasants?
Their interests would be to educate the ignorant peasants (I mean ignorant in politics) to be good farmers and feed the nation before letting the people starved.
Who else will they call upon to drive their tanks against young students asking only for political openess?
T-square as so many still think was a tragic event that could have been avoided. For example, if the remaining hundreds of demostrators left and went home (like the rest of the thousands did) while curfew had been putting on by the govt, there wouldn't be such a result. The hardliners were so afraid of the great number of farmers, who could put the economy of the whole country into chaos if they stopped their works and went on strike. If that happened, we wouldn't talk about WTO entry and jacking up all the wages and Chinese buying power for US goods and cut down trade deficits anymore.
Or better yet... why not generate threats that don't exist? Fear combined with ignorance is a beautiful recipe for continued oppression.
Yeah, have you read a book from the former Intel CEO Andrew Glove ? In that, he says you have to be paranoid in order to survive. The lesson the Chinese leadership learned was that the Chinese had been assuming "no foreign threat". Ask a question why the Chinese had never learned to use powder as weapon when they discovered it thousands years ago. Why didn't they have a strong naval fleet to protect all the coastal regions ?
Why is that Falun Gong is dangerous, but Tai-Chi isn't? And if people want to follow it, isn't that their right so long as they don't infringe on the rights of others?
Same question as to ask why the Nazi cult is so dangerous for others. If there's a cult leader who is spreading his words in bible-like booklets having political agenda to his members to follow his creeds, that's dangerous. You see members are worshipping the leader like crazy. You won't see this thing in Tai Chi, since it is not from an organized group and no single god-like leader is involved.
most of these "paternal elders" have SPENT LIMITED TIME OUTSIDE OF CHINA.
wrong. At least some of their sons and daugthers study abroad. The son of the Prez is studying in US too. Maybe they can influence their fathers in a very "liberal" way!
Plus, the US media can be a great source to study US.
I guess some western politicians have spent limited time in China instead.
Can you say the same thing about the Chinese people with regard to the rest of the world?
Most Chinese people have family values - even the elders.
Why would they want to show aggression like a mad man ? Doesn't sound logical. The govt even stopped all the nuclear tests long time ago. If someone want to improve their defensive capability, they certainly have a right to do so for "defence". Why fear ?
What would China have done had they had the upper hand?
So you think China would expand like the British empire ?? Give me a break.
regards,
Q |
