Democracy or Single Party System?

[Marathaman]

Hi everyone.
I'd like to start a debate about which form of government is better. Democracy or the Chinese system?(don't really know what to call it)


Also, as a side topic, we could discuss the reasons for the success of the Chinese.

 

[Marathaman]

I'd like to start off by expressing my opinions on the issue.

China has a long history of a central monarchy, unlike many other countries.
This makes it easier to rule the people with an iron fist, because of the large submissive population.

Undoubtedly, Chinese success can be explained by its adoption of Capitalism.

How will the growing educated and independent population see China's single party system?

 

[Srirangan]

How will the growing educated and independent population see China's single party system?

For as long as the Communist propaganda machinery manages to stay contemporary.

 

[The Wisdom Tree]

How will the growing educated and independent population see China's single party system?

Good question, whereas a liberalist democratic system would tend to be more stable, without inherent turbulences - your point above truly signifies the taut, unnatural and unstable line China is treading ... there is bound to be a revolution, sooner or later .. with freedom of thought, individuality, realization and sense.

And China, very well realizes this - and is doing everything it can (with its media, laws, policies and whatnot) - to delay this evolution for its citizens for as long as it can. Sheer magnitude of their coercive pressure in this direction is shameful. Its a f' disgrace.

And Srirangan, you read the question wrong friend. It was "how" not "how long"

 

[Srirangan]

>> And Srirangan, you read the question wrong friend. It was "how" not "how long"

I deny your baseless allegations and blame the fonts used on the website ..

 

[The Wisdom Tree]

>> And Srirangan, you read the question wrong friend. It was "how" not "how long"

I deny your baseless allegations and blame the fonts used on the website ..

if you're denying the allegations, then why are you blaming something else?

 

[Keysersoze]

if you're denying the allegations, then why are you blaming something else?

I believe the the term touche! applies here......

 

[Marathaman]

SO tell me, Mr. gpit. How exactly does China work?

Maybe we can all shred some of our prejudices about China here.

 

[gpit]

SO tell me, Mr. gpit. How exactly does China work?

Maybe we can all shred some of our prejudices about China here.

Let me first introduce you guys to this link: "CONSTITUTION OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA". A little bit long, but bear with it: compared with US constitution, it is short.

http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/constitution/constitution.html

 

[gpit]

I believe it is also my first time to read Chinese constitution in English. Even the translation is OK, but the marks of language barrier is obvious.

“New-democratic revolution” probably means (I could be wrong) some 20-30 years of pre- and around 1949 era, where CCP and KMT (now still in Taiwan) struggled for domination of China: both claimed could make China strong.

“People's democratic dictatorship” sounds awkward; it is a literal translation from Chinese (language). I think the word “Zhuanzheng” in Chinese shouldn’t be translated into “dictatorship”. I believe it assumes highly centralized execution of democratically (more or less) formed conclusion, normally against public enemies. – Hope other knowledgeable Chinese can shed lights on this.

Meanwhile, I do not completely agree with US "Congressional-Executive Commission on China" (CCEC) explanation on this term. It says "Article 1 of the Constitution describes China as a "people's democratic dictatorship," meaning that the system is based on an alliance of the working classes--in Communist terminology, the workers and peasants--and is led by the Communist Party." http://www.cecc.gov/pages/virtualAcad/gov/stateconst.php

Let me emphasize that language barriers have caused huge misunderstanding between the West and China. And it is still causing!

 

[gpit]

A constitution of a nation normally outlines the nation's power structure, procedures, state organization's duty, citizen's duty and rights, etc.

I find it interesting to compare preamble of US constitution with that of Chinese one.

In US, it is "...to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity..."

In Chinese Constitution, it recalls Chinese history, how it gets to today and how it should move forward.

You may well argue that Chinese is a bit of history "obsessed", taking much proud in their history and can't completely shake off 100 years humiliation since 1840. In comparison, US citizens are mostly for profit or religious freedom while moving from Old World to the New World. History is not long, and common people are more interested in now than past.

There is therefore no surprise that two different countries should have seemly very different preambles.

 

[gpit]

Some of you may be extremely surprised to learn that China is actually a multi-party country. The point is, CCP is the leading party, and the other parties are “consulting friends” to CCP, not opposition parties, under CCP leadership.

Those are other legal (registered) political parties in the People’s Republic of China (mainland):

· China Revolutionary Committee of the Kuomintang (another version of KMT)
· China Democratic League
· China Democratic National Construction Association
· China Association for the Promotion of Democracy
· Chinese Peasants and Workers' Democratic Party
· China Zhi Gong Dang, Jiusan Society

Those bodies join the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) with other party-less persons, serving as a political advisory body.

There are a couple illegal (not allowed to register) parties as well.

 

[gpit]

SO tell me, Mr. gpit. How exactly does China work?

Maybe we can all shred some of our prejudices about China here.

My personal conclusion, after reviewing all these, is that, CCP has relatively wide grass-root bases. In addition, with a couple of advisory organizations, it is so far relatively easy for the leaders to feel what the people's needs are, what problems they face, and to find out how to resolve the issues. If something is good, but can’t be achieved within existing constitution framework, they are ready to amend the constitution. If you read the amendments carefully, you’ll see newly added stuff like protection of private property, etc. Which are against original Marxism doctrines.

One subtle point is how to challenge CCP leadership. If it can’t be challenged, can social equality and development be maintained? If it can be challenged who is to lead China? Is the over-throw of CCP guarantees that China will be more prosperous? For the second question, I’d say no one else so far has the legitimacy to rule China. Therefore, 3rd Q can’t be answered. For 1sr Q, how about introduce various democratic elements into the party and state organizations, for the moment?

For now, China wants to be socially stable in order to further develop, or to “insure domestic Tranquility” (US term). In comparing with other democratic countries in Asia, China may well pursue its own road that leading to “Rome” – democratic (with Chinese characters), strong, prosperous and peaceful country.

I tempt to say that, it is not how China succeeds: it does accomplish a lot. But any other Asian countries could do teh same or similar, too. It is rather the failure, or less success, of another Asia courtiers that contrast what China has done so far.

China’s success may well be caused by the fact that CCP doesn’t adhere rigidly to ideological doctrine, but try to get supported by the mass. The leasers have a sense of crisis: they now know the system is not perfect. In contrast, some Asian countries copy Western democracy in a complacent, and bigoted belief that it will work because it makes the West strong. Yet they can’t implement it to a degree that it can benefit the countries as what western countries did. A typical example is the Philippines, one of the earliest democratic countries in Asia (1935 – now).