Worswick,
You are asking for an education that I cannot provide. Unlike you, I don't feel qualified to call myself a "historian", little or otherwise. I am a student of history and I doubt if I will reach the historian status in my lifetime. The reason for my comment was in emotional reaction to your totally sophomoric (is kindergardnic a word, it would've been more appropriate.) opinions, clearly demonstrating your lack of understanding of China.
A point by point rebuttal would only be worthy, if you have any points. Instead, why don't I give you some suggestions, hoping that they may add some open mindedness and depth to your thought process.
Where do we start? The opium war and the subsequent Naking Treaties is as good as any. There are two very significant consequences of the opium war. First, it allowed a couple of dope dealers, Jardine and Matheson, to openly destroy the masses through opium, especially the upper and educated classes. Second, it demonstrated to the world what a paper tiger China was. A few gun ships thousands of miles from home can bring China to her knees. This opened up China to all the colonistic attacks by all the hyenas from Europe, who had already devoured the entire Americas, India, Indo-China etc.
This eventually led to the demise of the last dynasty.
Early 1900s, Sun Yet-sen founded the new China, with his 3 people doctrine. Unfortunately, the concept was not adequate to attract enough followers to overflow even the totally weakened Qiang armies. Skipping a few decades, it was the Japanese who provided the final straw that broke the camel's back. When the Manchu Pui Ye puppet government was established, China was thrown into civil war while the Japanese were committing monstrosities which are still haunting their relationship with China and Korea today.
1949, China was once again united under communism. Let us pause for a moment and assess the state of the union.
First, Chiang took to Taiwan not only funds, historic treasures but also the educated class. Mao was left with a country of uneducated peasants. Second, this is the first time in China's long history that it is not under monarchy. Third, the infrastructure was totally destroyed.
Needless to say, the following years were marked with mistake after mistake. Most of my readings on this subject were in Chinese but I believe a US reporter named Fox Butterfield (?) wrote a book "Life in the Bitter Sea" which gave a good account of those years. Most notable were big mistakes like the Big Leap Forward. Comical tragedies included: melt woks into industrial grade steel, killing all the sparrow to save the crops only to result in locust famines etc etc.
Just as you think that things couldn't get any worse, the Cultural Revolution broke out in 1966. What little was accomplished since 1949 were totally destroyed. What little left of the educated class were perched. The likes of Zhou Enlai, DengXiaping were lucky to survive while millions like Liu Shaoqi were not so fortunate. What little resemblance of law and order were replaced by little red guards waiving Mao books, making up new "laws" along the way.
In between, China decided to get involved in the Korea and Vietnam Wars. Both drained the very last few drops of blood from the turnip.
Finally Mao died in 1976. I consider this to be the start date of the new China, just a short 22 years ago. Let us again pause to do another state of the union analysis.
The most populous country in the world is facing with obstacles and hardship unimaginable to westerners having friendly political discussions over a glass of Chardonay.
There is an entire generation of citizens who are uneducated, the same group remains a headache today as unemployment starts to escalate as a result of Zhu's reforms. The last of the surviving educated class are now old and scared.
Aside from some cultural link to the forgone eras of Confucious, China was totally left with no political infrastructure. Yes, there is the Communist Party but all the things that we take for granted were non-existent. Worswick, you sound old enough to remember 1976. Just think about every aspect of your daily life back then and imagine what it would have been like if you had lived in China at that time.
First and foremost, China has to feed its people. With 4 times the population and less productive land than the United States, it is not a surprise that not many Chinese were over-weight.
Every little item of daily life that is routine to us is an effort. Where are the banks? How about housing? How about things that we call utilities - water, heat, gas, phones, cable TV etc etc? Transportation?
Take a look at what China has accomplished in the last 22 years. Lets use 1776 to 1798 as a comparison. Do you think the young USA made as much progress in her first 22 years, even though she did not face remotely the same hardship that China did?
Now take a look at your own post. If you have one trace of intelligence, tell me if it is remotely realistic to have the type of expectations that you put on China. You remind of the brat in the toy store, screaming "I want".
Yes, we all like to live in a better and perfect world. There is a practical side. Like George Bush said, try to be "kinder and gentler".
Finally, I stopped posting on this thread before, because of individuals like yourself. I still have to glance through every now and then because Asia is of such importance to my investment welfare at this time. There are better posters now and I have discussed specifics with them via private message. Your post irritated me enough that I feel compelled to post, so that other readers are not lead down the same naive and narrow minded path that you have chosen for yourself.
Having said that, I will not be posting on this subject again.
Ramsey |
