| Half-gone are the theories that economic | | | | wealthy nations to create a more open society. |
| prosperity is dependent solely on communism, | | | | Imposing a western style fledgling democracy is |
| capitalism, socialism or some other dogma. Well, | | | | probably going to cause just chaos within a |
| for the Chinese model, progress is anything that | | | | system that has gotten used to authoritarian rule |
| works. | | | | for over a century comparable to what is seen in |
| With a large labor force willing to accept relatively | | | | many other developing nations. China has |
| low wages, China's growth remains assured. | | | | mastered the art of gradual experimentation. |
| Chinese leaders know this cheap labor in light | | | | Experimenting slowly in modernizing its political |
| industry will not last forever and are investing | | | | institutions may prove just as successful. |
| heavily in manufacturing and education. China | | | | China loves to be shaped positively economically, |
| currently graduates more engineers than any | | | | but adheres intransigently to the same political |
| country. Although numbers matter, they do not | | | | principles that had caused it to lag behind for |
| necessarily translate into quality. | | | | many years. As the Chinese continue to |
| As China floods the labor market with cheap labor | | | | implement the "what works theory" economically, |
| and skilled workers, it will attract more western | | | | they equally spend a huge amount of resources |
| industries scurrying to make large profits. The | | | | trying not to let market forces naturally shape its |
| advance of more robust internet capabilities and | | | | philosophy. |
| outsourcing has the potential of ramping up labor | | | | The Chinese leadership is known for getting |
| competition. This is already becoming an economic | | | | obsessed with trivial issues from internet access |
| game changer. While China celebrates progress, | | | | to human rights. This kind of obsession is an |
| we are reminded that China's advance is not | | | | indication that China's economic growth far |
| without problems. | | | | surpasses its ideological growth. No country should |
| It is easy to jump quickly to point fingers at | | | | afford to degenerate into such an imbalance. Any |
| China's human right records, but we should not fail | | | | degeneration only leads to chaos. |
| to give China credit for pulling millions of people | | | | What the Chinese government anticipates is that |
| out of poverty within a relatively short period. | | | | the rapid growth of its economy will submerge |
| Though hardly mentioned, this is also a significant | | | | any criticism of human's rights abuses and |
| human rights achievement. | | | | dictatorship. What it does not realize is that, the |
| In the case of China like in every other modern | | | | more prominent its economy becomes the more |
| democracy, when there is strong economic | | | | it will be challenged to be more responsible and be |
| growth, the natural gravitation is that the system | | | | more open. |
| overall is working well and need not be changed | | | | Whether we agree or disagree about China's |
| or challenged. Given China's vastly available cheap | | | | handling of online content and the media, we |
| labor, economic growth is not likely to halt | | | | should not lose sight of the often unpredictable |
| anytime soon leaving everyone to embrace the | | | | nature of events in China. A good number of |
| possibility that its authoritarian regime is going to | | | | places in China are a lot more restive than |
| be around for a long while. | | | | otherwise assumed. |
| The accepted notion that a push for capitalism | | | | In July 2009, clashes between Muslim Uighur and |
| liberates forces that promote democracy does | | | | Han Chinese that were instigated and fueled by |
| not seem to hold true for China. With China's | | | | the internet left over 200 people dead in the City |
| semi-authoritarian rule, the Chinese should worry a | | | | of Urumqi. The deep distrust and misinformation |
| lot about future stability. | | | | between some ethnic groups in China makes it |
| Although China's problems are more economic | | | | inevitable for China to regulate online content |
| than they are political, the politics like in every | | | | pertaining to these. Though some of these |
| other country often dictates the direction of the | | | | measures are necessary, others are draconian. |
| economy. China has learned a good lesson the | | | | Until economic growth begins to stall, only then will |
| hard way that it cannot grow in isolation after | | | | a younger Chinese generation start to question |
| shunning the rest of the world for decades and | | | | the efficacy of the current system. The rising |
| missing out on the industrial revolution of the 19th | | | | bargaining power of the Chinese government on |
| century. | | | | the international stage is unlikely to cause a shift in |
| China is opening up slowly. As it opens itself to the | | | | ideology within the communist party. Washington |
| rest of the world; it will have little option but to | | | | can do very little because it is already getting |
| change its political structure. History shows that | | | | bankrolled by the Chinese government and has |
| this is unlikely to happen at a fast pace on its own | | | | begun to feel a pinch of that Chinese power. |
| unless China is jawboned economically by other | | | | |