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Politics : High Tolerance Plasticity -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: bull_derrick who wrote (22827)	2/7/2005 10:37:14 PM
From: energyplay	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 23153

China is starting to stage some limited elections in rural areas, with a plan of increasing participation in government. Not heading towards what we would see as democratic - maybe more along the lines of Mexico, but better run ;-). Also, except for Falun Gong and Tibet, China is not too aggresive at harassing minority groups and "infidels" - certainly compared to many other countries. China seems to be working out some kind of accomodation with Tibet. The Bush doctrine is a big shift, and it will take time to move US policy.

To: bull_derrick who wrote (22827)	2/7/2005 11:45:18 PM
From: Bruce L	Respond to of 23153

<<<<I know everybody has to pick their battles, even a president, but I see a big contrast between our ME policy, Condy beating up the Russians and our silence in China. From afar, this contrast must be noticeable in other nations and I don't really have a good idea myself>>>>> Bull, Two points in response: (1) You are right; everybody has to pick their battles. The world is not going to be reformed completely in your or my lifetime. (2) China in terms of world instability is much less of a threat than the ME. In terms of Thomas Barnett's concept of "core and gap" China is part of the core; it is integrating well with the developed world and everything indicates this trend will continue. Also, many neo-conservatives - and I am one of them - believe that China's free market and its (resultant) growing middle class make ultimate democracy a high probabilty event. It's been a long time since there were any communist true believers in China. The communist hierarchy today serve no socially useful purpose and nearly everyone in China knows it. They and their families collect "rent" because of their positions but their time is limited. Ultimately the Chineese people will demand more than just relative prosperity; they will want some say in how things are run