[Sandzaklija]

Is this true?

[87522]

Capital punishment is applied flexibly to a wide range of crimes, some of which are punishable by death in no other judicial system in the world. Economic crimes such as tax fraud have appeared routinely among the dockets of those receiving the death sentence, as have relatively small-scale drug offenses. Death is also frequently imposed on repeat offenders whose individual crimes would be considered relatively minor in most judicial systems, such as non-violent theft or causing incidental bodily harm that is not life threatening or debilitating. Capital punishment is also imposed on inchoate crimes, that is, attempted crimes which are not actually fully carried out, including repeat offenses such as attempted theft or attempted fraud. The recidivistic nature of the offenses, not their seriousness per se, is what is adjudicated to merit the capital sentence.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capital_pu ... c_of_China

Now that's protection of property.

[ScoutSniper3/124]

I watched a TV special a few years ago about the Chinese courts. In it, an Regional judge went from one small town to the next, holding court in each local every few months. He came to one village, set up a podium in the middle of the school gym and the local people filed into the bleachers.

In his first case, a man was accused of petty theft. The double doors of the gym opened and the accused was half drug before the judge by two armed men. After a few minutes of the judge berating the man as a disgrace to his people, his family, and himself, he sentenced the man to a few years in prison. He never was allowed to say a word, and as soon as the sentence was passed, the gaurds turned him around and drug him off to begin his prison time.

The second accused was brought in the same way, he had embezzled some funds from his job. Since all business is generally owned by the state, it amounted to stealing from the government. The judge was again called him a disgrace, and ended his speech with one word...DEATH. The guards whipped the man around and walked him back through the double doors. Before the doors closed a gunshot was heard. The narrator explained that the accused family is customarily charged 13c, the price of the bullet used for the execution.

Harsh beyond words, but in six months, those were the only two crimes brought before the court. I'm glad we have the checks and balances we do, but we also have abuses to the system that burden America with a crime problem the Chinese will never have to worry about.

PS. I bet that's one 13c bill the families are prompt to pay.

[InterestedInPolitics]

Actually, in the subject of drug problem or drug dealing, the massive use of the death penalty by China and Chiang Kia Shek in the past, have proven to be futile in deturing the social problem of drugs in that part of the world. Don't know the statistics on other crimes though and if in fact the Chinese death penalty has been effective in deturrance. But it does sound kinda funny, even though it was brutal and harsh the way they conducted the prison sentences and execution.

[InterestedInPolitics]

At least the chinese save time from having to go through the bureaucratic procedures.

[JrnymnX]

There are more than one billion more people living in China than there are living in the USA, in a land area that is very close to the same (China has 9.3 million sq km to the USA's 9.1 million)

It seems almost natural that in a society with such a high population density the value of one criminal life is devalued greatly agianst the rest of society.

[dktekno]

It seems almost natural that in a society with such a high population density the value of one criminal life is devalued greatly agianst the rest of society.

But how can you know the accused is a criminal, if you don't allow him or her a fair trial by western standards?

[Citizen J]

What makes you so sure western standards ensure a fair trial?

[ness31]

nice necro. this was fun.

[Puffer Fish]

Is this true?

Yes it is true. More so in the 80s than it is now though.

Life was very cheap in China, so if you stole huge huge amounts of money it was as bad as taking several lives.

We're talking about many lives ruined anyway, because quality of life, and even often survival itself, were dependent on money, China being a poorer society until only relatively recently.

For many Chinese, if you defrauded an old person out of all their retirement savings (especially if they didn't have children to take care of them) you might as well have killed them.

[ccdan]

For many Chinese, if you defrauded an old person out of all their retirement savings (especially if they didn't have children to take care of them) you might as well have killed them.

Retirement "savings" in communist China? In addition to state pension?

[Puffer Fish]

Retirement "savings" in communist China? In addition to state pension?

Communist China did have money, and an individual would barely be able to survive without it.

Surprised?