I saw below article’s title in a Canadian paper – The Globle and Mail and then went to internet to read the detail. I have found the comments more interesting than the article itself. Hence I put them together and post here for you to enjoin.
China’s ‘success’ as hollow as its ‘democracy’
NEIL REYNOLDS From Wednesday's Globe and Mail Oct. 11, 2011
For the Chinese students massacred at Tiananmen Square in 1989, beneath the giant poster of Mao, democracy didn’t mean Western democracy, and didn’t mean elective democracy, says Loretta Napoleoni, the Italian-born socialist author who teaches economics at Cambridge University’s Judge Business School. It meant Chinese communist democracy, as proven by Chairman Mao’s frequent use of the word. “In his speeches,” Ms. Napoleoni says, “Mao used the word democracy hundreds of thousands of times to explain that governments exist to promote the interests of the people – [a concept] rooted in Chinese society.” Well, okay. Provided Mao himself said so.
Ms. Napoleoni thus advances the notion that democracy, as we know it in the capitalist West, is neither inherently preferable nor markedly superior to Sino-Marxist democracy, whatever that may be. Indeed, she asserts, China’s single-party democracy works – and works better than “our” democracy. “China’s success confirms that Marx is not the one whom history has proven wrong,” she says. “The Chinese have managed to create a form of communism ... that guarantees more progress than any other [economic system].” So what if this Sino-Marxist democracy is a dictatorship? The virtuous thing is that it’s Sino and that it’s Marxist.
In her new book (Maonomics: Why Chinese Communists Make Better Capitalists Than We Do), Ms. Napoleoni argues that Marx begot Mao, that Mao begot Deng Xiaoping (who “opened” China). Retrospectively, she says, Marx won, Mao won and Deng won, too. The West lost. The world now awaits the imminent collapse of capitalism and the triumph of communism. What happened? The profit motive, she says, saved communism. Had the Soviet Union embraced profits, Lenin and Stalin could have gone down in history as winners, too.
But there is more to capitalism than profits. Maonomics, alas, won’t exempt China from the stern laws of supply and demand. Ms. Napoleoni’s book coincides with a Globe and Mail story of China’s massive New South China Mall, the world’s biggest, bereft of customers (though the McDonald’s and KFC fast-food outlets are doing a brisk business). It coincides with a Stratfor report that China is building homes that no one wants. (“Officially,” the strategic analysis company says, “a mind-boggling 65 million homes in China were vacant in 2010.”) It coincides with China’s huge investment in high-speed trains – that make it more expensive to travel by train than to fly. It coincides with the death of Steve Jobs, whose labours did much to make the world safer for democracy – for “our” democracy.
Ms. Napoleoni’s arguments are historical fiction. Go back to Tiananmen Square. Ask the student demonstrators directly what democracy meant to them. Did it mean fidelity to Mao, whose Marxist democracy took 40 million lives? (Or was it 70 million?) Or did it evoke a more universal sentiment? And what are we to make of the famous plaster statue of a lady, 30 feet high, holding aloft a flaming lamp – the statue the demonstrators themselves called the Goddess of Democracy?
Lest we forget: The arts students who built the statue read a declaration to the 300,000 protesters when the goddess arrived at Tiananmen Square. In part, the declaration said: “[This] is the Goddess of Democracy. [She] is the symbol of every student in the square ... A consciousness of democracy has awakened among the Chinese people. The new era has begun. [This statue] is made of plaster and cannot, of course, stand here forever. But, as a symbol, she is divine and inviolate. Chinese people, arise! Long live freedom. Long live democracy.”
Chinese army tanks cut down and silenced the Goddess of Democracy. But it is preposterous now to argue that the students of Tiananmen Square were merely calling on the spirit of Mao, were simply trying to nudge the single-party State. And it is offensive to say that the communist regime did the right thing when it turned the army on the students in Tiananmen Square. (“Looking back on the decision to suppress the Tiananmen uprisings,” she writes, “it is only honest to make an extremely painful admission: Maybe that sacrifice saved us all from catastrophe.”) The massacre, in other words, helped the Party survive until it had more fully learned the importance of profits.
The Party will undoubtedly experience more difficult times ahead. China has not heard the last from the Goddess of Democracy.
152 comments
7:35 PM on October 11, 2011
How painful it is, for some, to see democracy in the streets throughout the West, these days! And in North Africa, and in the Middle-East...
Such a universal revulsion and repudiation of our rulers, of our entire failed, corrupt to the core, morally bankrupt political class (the very same the world over) is too much really, isn't it?
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So let's forget about it all...
Let's rather turn to naughty China one more time... :) :) :) ...
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Pinter: "Even while it was happening it wasn't happening." (Nobel Lecture)
http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/literature/laureates/2005/pinter-lecture-e.html
8:21 PM on October 11, 2011
"Wikileaks: no bloodshed inside Tiananmen Square, cables claim
Secret cables from the United States embassy in Beijing have shown there was no bloodshed inside Tiananmen Square when China put down student pro-democracy demonstrations 22 years ago. "
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503543_162-5061672-503543.html
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Wow...either you don't read this stuff, or you are entirely unable to comprehend it. First, this article states only that ONE WITNESS states he didn't see anyone killed inside the square itself; and second, it states very clearly that people were definitely killed OUTSIDE of Tiananmen Square.
Inside the square, or outside the square...people were still killed. And you demonstrate the paucity of your arguments if you want to debate the exact LOCATION of where people were murdered, as opposed to the actual crime of murdering those people.
8:17 PM on October 11, 2011
On the one hand, the book this is referring to is absolute bull crap. Painting China as some sort of desirable utopia is simply wrong. Yes, China's made many advances; but it still has a great many problems and abuses that dwarf those in the West.
On the other hand, this response is bull crap, too. While Chinese talk about 'democracy', it is very true that their concept of democracy is quite different from ours in the West; a far more accurate model for the form of democracy that Chinese are seeking would be that in Singapore, not that in the U.S.
I'd really be nice to have reasonable, rational opinions expressed on such issues, rather than these biased, ignorant, extremist positions. China has a great many problems, struggles, and abuses; China has also demonstrated significant positive reform and change. It'd be nice to see reports that present a balanced perspective on both aspects, rather than this tripe.
9:44 PM on October 11, 2011
Almost a quarter-century after the 1989, Chinese people today travel freely all over the world for pleasure. Over 57 million cash-rich Chinese tourists are traveling abroad this year, spending a staggering USD 55 billion.
http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2011-01-11/news/28427853_1_chinese-tourists-inbound-tourists-shoeb-samad
http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/eco_tou_arr-economy-tourist-arrivals
7:23 AM on October 12, 2011
Hi The author,
1)Please do not worry about China. More than 90% Chinese are happy with their government.
2)Check the movement of "occupy wal-street", now the protesters are occupying rich people's neighborhood.
3)IF you were brave to report the movement of "occupy wal-street" immediately after it happened, your words have some credibility. Otherwise, keep silent. Do not be a joke.
1:51 AM on October 12, 2011
The last time when I checked my calendar, today is October 12 2011.
If I remember correctly, there was a pretty good Hollywood movie called "Back to the Future" starring a Canadian actor Michael J Fox about 25 years ago. To my astonishment, this correspondent Mr. Reynolds is now trying to create something called "Back to the Past".
Mr. Reynolds: You and Mr. MacKinnon should write a movie script based on your article and then you two should make a trip to Tinseltown Hollywood to sell your story. Perhaps, you two can sell it for a seven-digit amount. By the way, if you guys have trouble finding the right contact in Hollywood, try to get help from Dalai Lama. Dalai knows quite a number of Hollywood over-the-hill actors over there. They may still be of help!
10:22 PM on October 11, 2011
A lot of China bashing in this forum as usual.
The article sounded interesting when it was quoting the book then it gets into irrelevant and inaccurate information such as the high speed trains costing more than flying (non-sense although in some cases it would make sense as the duration of the trip is nearly the same while it is more comfortable).
Has China progressed? Talking to my friends in Beijing in their early 40s who owns cars, apartments travel in europe or all over the world once or twice a year, they are old enough going to school barefoot in winter and lining up for food for hours. Ask them. They think China is great. This is what you ask of governments, improve it citizen's life.
9:00 PM on October 11, 2011
Neil Reynolds is late to the China-bashing party. Mackinnon won't like this competition.
9:57 AM on October 12, 2011
The author of this article is a decieving us. China's democracy is closer to the definition of Democracy than the western model wherein a small group can win time and again against the wishes of the majority. Multi Party systems will destroy the nation through lies to win power and greed. Our political thinkers should debunk Block voting and minority rule. Look at Isreal or Italy where one small party of 5 members can pass tough legislation or they can bring down a government.
China's elected representatives go to the people's congress with no party affiliations and vote their conscience to suit their ridings. Check it out or listen to the deception the powerful feed you.
Canada has to be at the forefront of Democratric reform before global greed controls our nation.
It is going to happen. Democracies need to be more democratic.
1:36 AM on October 12, 2011
Note to the Globe Editors:
I know you don't always like posts that contain links to other articles, and that's understandable.
However, in this case, you have published an article that is unforgivably slipshod, inaccurate and slanderous.
I've posted links to articles with factual documentation so that readers can learn the facts and the truth on a few important points.
So, I would appreciate your not deleting the posts.
9:08 PM on October 11, 2011
Asian societies are like anthills. However, ants are a successful species from the point of view of evolution. Whether ants are "happy" is another question...
8:29 AM on October 12, 2011
That 200 000 000 middle class is not to be sneezed at. As big as the US middle class. The other billion will be along 'soon', in historical terms.
Imagine when China is as developed as Taiwan.
1:43 AM on October 12, 2011
I notice that Watching China has stated that the empty apartment statistics is a fabrication and a lie. Actually it was a leaked government document showing the apartments not using electricity. So the 64.5 million empty apartments was tabulated internally by the Chinese government. In fact, in the past year another > 20-30 million apartments have been added or are being added to this inventory (the pace of construction has actually picked up pace). Very few of the 64.5 million previously counted empty apartments in 2010 will have residents occupying them now (from my own observations). So we are closing in on 100 million empty apartments by the end of this year.
I have lived in China for over 5 years (coming for over 10 years) and there are many, many apartments that have been empty for the entire duration of this timespan. Apartments in China are poorly constructed and maintained. Many of those built 10 years ago have already been abandoned and some have even been torn down.
It is Watching China that needs to get the facts right. Because I am witnessing what is going on everyday and it is hard not to notice the distorted market signals in the process of a train wreck. Putting ones head in the sand doesn't make the problem go away. In fact, it just does the opposite. And don't shoot the messenger. And it is absolutely important that the facts are told to the world because the economies will be impacted when a slowdown occurs (i.e., commodities from Canada).
1:06 AM on October 12, 2011
This comment is hidden because you have chosen to ignore LHC. Show DetailsHide Details
I wonder why some Canadians find the need to write things like this, if its true then why are you so anxious? Or are you trying to convince yourself its true? And why?
2:01 AM on October 12, 2011
John Lombard,
China, like the US, like Canada, like anywhere else, is a land of contrasts. There are always good, bad and ugly spots.
If you read the Globe & Mail, China is nothing but trouble. All you have to do is follow the articles by MacKinnon. He'll inevitably find a horror story even if China is doing the right things, and in Reynolds' case, the entire China story is a flop and a fake press release.
By now, you should know that the Globe & Mail absolutely hates China and all things Chinese.
Its agenda is war. All these stories come from the same pipeline preparing Canada to treat China as a long-term enemy. It's the same pipeline that sugar-coats Canada's war crimes in Afghanistan and supports NATO's endless wars in the Middle East and Africa.
Please do not expect the Globe & Mail to objectively report, as its long-term and ultimate goal is to prepare the country for wars and more wars.
1:30 AM on October 12, 2011
John Lombard wrote:
"One of my closest friends, a lawyer, had a brother who was a protester in Tiananmen Square, and was killed on June 4, 1989, by military fire."
There were some 30 students who did die that day, but not in the event at the square. There were two events in Beijing that day - the student protest and a worker's revolt far from the square. The latter turned nasty when dozens of buses carrying soldiers were set on fire by some unrelated thugs, and many soldiers burned to death
That's when the government sent in the military - who retaliated against those who were killing them. The Western media have conflated the two events and blamed it on Tiananmen.
FYI, Many foreign reporters stated they spent the entire evening and night in Tiananmen Square, and there was no gunfire to be heard anywhere. They did report some sporadic gunfire much later the next day, but not near the square, which was unrelated to the students.
If you're telling the truth, your friend's brother was killed several Kms. from the square in a different event.
However, I have my doubts about your story. I do live in China and due to an industry position I have regular access and contact with almost 1,000 people who were university students at that time. Many of these people were involved in the student movement and many were in the square itself.
I have discussed this at length with many of them, and their stories are all consistent. There was no violence in the square. I believe all of them before I accept your stories.
And how dare you accuse me of lying? You weren't there and have no personal knowledge. Everything you claim, is heresay - from three people - but you know everything.
And your claim about the death certificate stating "the place of death", is an absurdity.
I've posted a link that contains extensive documentation from Western reporters who were there at the time, and also the Wiki-leaked documents from the US embassy in Beijing - all making the same statements as the Chinese government did - the student protest ended peacefully, there was no gunfire in the square, the soldiers weren't even armed, and nobody died.
Here's the link again. Read it. Look at the photos of the soldiers burned to a crisp. That's where the violence was, and it was far away from, and totally unrelated to, Tiananmen Square.
http://www.bearcanada.com/china/letstalkabouttam.html
And funny you should mention Beijing University. We'll have to get together sometime. I'm a visiting professor at TshingHua University myself; I teach case studies to the EMBA classes.
Since you're a foreigner who's been in China for 18 years, my friends won't have any trouble identfying you. I'll look you up.
7:43 PM on October 11, 2011
America’s ‘success’ as solid as its ‘democracy’
1:24 AM on October 12, 2011
Although being NO fan of the many intrusive regulations and restrictions here in China, I would have to wonder how any country with such an enormous population can instill some degree of civilized behaviour without an imposing government?
Even with strict rules and enforcement, there is still a sense of chaos and lawlessness in parts of Beijing.
1:03 AM on October 12, 2011
Someone wrote:
"India became a democracy 64 years ago, China is still a communism. This means India is at least 64 years ahead of China in political terms."
Right. India, the country with arguably the most corrupt government in the world today, a place where illliteracy and infant mortality are among the highest in the world.
A country with absolutely the most racist and unconscionable social "caste" system in the world. A country with so many quaint folk customs like cattle-worshipping, widow-burning, where gang rape by the village elders is still an acceptable punishment for a disobedient woman.
But you have "democracy". Well, good for you. Too bad you can't eat it.
One day when you and others like you, awake from your ideological stupor, you will realise that China's form of government is the most sensible and most efficient in the world. Too bad you can't adopt it to save yourselves.
And too bad you can't understand that the Western multi-party government system is not the apex of human development. It is only one way of doing something, and by no means the best way. In fact, if you wanted to design a really stupid system of government, you couldn't do better than what you have now.
12:11 AM on October 12, 2011
What is necessary to be appointed a columnist for the G & M? Proof of descendency from at least two generations of racist bigots? A degree in ideology 101? Failing an IQ test?
What is the source of the incorrect claim that train travel in China is more expensive than flying? It's true air travel in China is not expensive, but it's still a lot more than the train.
There are luxury cars on some high-speed trains, where you can pay a lot of money to be pampered, but normal tickets are far less than flying. If you want to get a room and a sleeper from Shanghai to Beijing, even then the price is less than airfare.
For example, HSR Shanghai to Nanjing - about 300 kms. costs about $20 equivalent. How far can you fly in Canada for $20? Shanghai to Beijing - 1,300 Kms. costs about $75. And on routes like these, there are 70 or 80 trains each way, each day.
Here's a good photo-essay on China's high-speed trains with lots of information and pictures.
http://www.bearcanada.com/science/vehicles/trains.html
11:55 PM on October 11, 2011
Loretta Napoleoni: the "useful idiots" live on.
10:34 PM on October 11, 2011
Very few people in the "West" are willing to recognise the accomplishments of the Russian and Chinese Communist parties.
From being on its knees in 1917 Russia progressed to the point where the Russian Army using superior weapons designed and manufactured by Russians beat back the German Army at a rate of over 100 kilometres per day across the northern European plains. They followed this up by ousting half a million Japanese from Manchuria, all in 1945.
The Chinese have pulled hundreds of millions of people out of poverty in the past two decades. In the history of the world this rate of progress has never been seen on the scale that China has accomplished.
It is time to forget cold war propaganda and recognise progress when it occurs.
10:23 PM on October 11, 2011
To be honest, I'd never heard of Loretta Napoleoni, but after reading Neil Reynold's trashing of her book I think I'll read it.
Notwithstanding some pretty fierce competition, Reynolds still remains the Globe's undisputed champion of crude pro-business propaganda and all-around economic illiteracy. Every time he inveighs against Keynesian economics I rejoice, confident in the damage this super-annuated blunderbuss does to his own cause.
