The China Miracle

Before I go on, I just want to briefly redefine the motivations behind this blog. By no means do I consider myself an expert on China or some of the issues that I discuss. I am constantly learning and reshaping my theories, so for those who regard themselves as high intellectuals and are irked whenever I misrepresent a group of people or a school of thought, please take my words as an ongoing journey through my mind as my eyes and ears discover China. I use what knowledge I have and the experiences I am given to make conclusions for myself, and that is the best I can do for now: "In the end, one only experiences one's self." -Nietzsche .

Where was I... I have been thinking about what I said yesterday concerning the possible options China and its government currently posses. Let me begin by saying the Communist Party is not a real communist government. They threw Marxism out the window when started allowing foreign investment, giving out passports freely to its citizens, and by joining the WTO. When Deng Xiaoping said "to get rich is glorious" and publicly admired the forms of government in Singapore and Hong Kong, he in essence took socialism of the pedestal and replaced it with a market economy. Leninism on the other hand is still very much a guiding philosophy that the Party strictly adheres to by maintaining strong central authority over the country, eradicating political dissidents and other "troublemakers", and of course by putting such a high premium on order and stability.

This unique situation is hard to predict but is fascinating nevertheless in how effective it has been. Living in China has really stretched me in all different directions - It is a never ending roller coaster ride as my perceptions and emotions are conflicted by China's split personalities: its old-age injustices and brutality on one side and its new found prosperity and accomplishments on the other. How do I morally balance China's personalities, how do I balance the lives of individuals to the well being of 1.3 billion, even if I was allowed to help, what exactly would I do - these are the questions and struggles that I face as I probe around China.

It is my understanding that China has two options: revolution or evolution. If the government today allowed free speech and press, exposed its mistakes, thus making clear what is delusion and what is truth, there is no doubt in my mind that people would take to the streets, the nation would experience fragmentation, and the global community would try to install quasi-democracies with popular elections as they did for Eastern Europe. It troubles me to say this because their is no justice in the world when Communist dictators preside over such an economic boom, but I do not believe democracy is good for China at this moment in history. Even an imperfect democracy is less likely to torture dissidents and obstruct basic human rights - which is very very important - and I know viewing democracy as an obstacle can be seen as heresy in America, but I think that certain developing countries require economic and social stability which is easily given by an authoritarian leadership.

By the time China creates a large middle class, who are wealthy and educated, dictatorship becomes a source of instability while democracy makes better political and economic sense. These people will yearn for more of a voice and take to the streets, and as long as the government has foresight, it will avoid chaos, and at that juncture we will see the emergence of a democratic state - not as sophisticated as America's - but one nonetheless.

Can China basically evolve into an wealthy democracy like Taiwan - although Taiwan only has 20 million people - or will China's individuals revolt too soon and bring down the empire. The Communist Party is aware of its extinction, for it is a certainty, but will they fall crashing down or gradually melt down. I now believe that the more likely scenario is a gradual peaceful evolution because its China's only chance to sustain its economic miracle while creating a political one as well.