They haven't been able to shop for clothes for 3 years.
Doesn't sound like freedom, when you can't go shopping for clothes for 3 solid years. This is according to some of my Iraqi female friends.
Iraq had female lawyers as well as a variety of ethnic religions, not a mandate to be only one ethnic religion. SH was much more open minded than some of the other regimes.
Btw, regarding China... the impression of wealth given to a foreigner is planned by the govt to a certain degree. For example, you probably didn't go to the older section of the city, because the govt has a very heavy hand on how things are planned and structured - foreigners will land at the airport and go right to the business section, which of course is in the new part. But so much is new, you're right. It looks and is very impressive. However, is it ethical to hide the poor, so to speak?
In India, you will see more poor people around the airport because that's where they come to get jobs and they are everywhere you go. China doesn't allow this - don't forget China is a communist controlled country. India isn't divided into poor areas and rich areas to the same degree China is, the rich and poor actually live very close to each other in India - enough so that when you go from one place to another you will see the poor.
But China controls their planning so that you may not even see the poor on a business trip. In India it's guaranteed you will see the poor (it's pretty hard to stomach for any American, we couldn't imagine living in such poverty).
It's ironic a communist country (that's suppose to be for the working poor) has hidden its poor people away from the wealthy.
Yet, I believe China's planning will spur more business leaders to conduct their business in China - business leaders prefer a "tidy" trip without the hassles of poverty. So, while in the short-term China is doing something that's wrong (hiding the poor people), this will help things be better for China in the long-term because it will increase their business attraction.
Communism allows long-term gains over short-term pain.
Democracy and capitalism is weaker in this regards.
Regards,
Amy J |
