Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Technology Stocks : Softbank Group Corp -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: badon518 who wrote (5199)	6/2/2000 1:54:00 AM
From: TobagoJack	Respond to of 6018

Hello Badon518, Following on your observations, I think the PRC will become quasi-democratic, as that is the way the wheels of history spins, but when it does, it will not be any less of a problem to the US than now. The US system is ripe for lobbying, by the ROC, PRC, Isrealies, Irish folks, the British, etc etc. because the US election system requires money, and in such massive amounts that only interested parties (folks with an agenda) would help to fund. The China International Trust and Investment Chairman Wang Jun who in previous life traded weapons, had supposedly thrown US$ 50k to Clinton. When interviewed, he merely commented that had he wanted to buy Clinton, he would not have bothered to spend fifty thousand (he was not clear on whether he would have spent more or less). Underestimation of PRC is happening now given the lack of objective reporting in English. Village level elections is in its fifth year and there are a lot of villages in China. As Mao said, use the country side to surround the cities. President Jiang's recent comments about the setting up of Special Political Zones (along the lines of Special Economic Zones) can not have been unsanctioned at the highest levels. But, alas, democracy and peace do not necessarily go together, as sometimes crowds demand war. In fact, most wars are demanded by crowds. On PRC's respect for the US, it is genuine appreciation of a unique historic experiment gone well over the past 200 years. The English and the French, in the eyes of the average Chinese, simply have gone past their use-by date. Clinton may or may not commit US troops to Taiwan. The US president in place when China is ready to welcome Taiwan back into the fold will not commit troops to Taiwan, by definition. I seriously doubt US will be involved in another Asian land war, Korea included (I think South Korea is fully capable of defending themselves, though must be supplied out of US and Japan). I think the Asian countries, Japan included (with or without big bombs), however reluctantly, will have to reset their geopolitical center of gravity compass over the next 20 years. India and Russia being the wild cards. In a world of nuclear parity, the old geopolitical laws rule.

To: badon518 who wrote (5199)	6/2/2000 4:29:00 AM
From: Seeker of Truth	Read Replies (3) \| Respond to of 6018

Way OT but I can't resist. Quasi democracy is the state of things wherein the little guy has civil rights, i.e. he/she is free from worry about arbitrary arrest or arbitrary confiscation of property. However the little guy has no policy power, i.e. can't influence the big policies of government. The civil rights exist because finally the big guys have caught on that even they are individually safer with a rule of law wherein civil rights are general, applicable to everyone. In Iceland, Norway, Sweden etc. the little guy expects to influence policy. The US is a typical quasi-democratic country.