[ronimacarroni]

I think China's rate of growth in the past 13 or so years has been incredible.
They have caught up to the west in a fraction of the time it would have taken them if they were democratic.
However that rate of growth has come at a cost.
Namely censorship and exploitation of the working class.
Also it seems that the government censorship has stunned their creativity.
So what do you guys is China's form of government good or bad?

[benpenguin]

I live in China right now. It's bad, but it could be worse. I can even go so far saying they did a fantastic job just by keeping 1.3 billion people together, not to mention the economic advancement.

Democracy is a far cry from reality and not exactly a viable goal in the short term. However, some "progress" has been made in the form of mob justice. At the very least, when problems arise, the government would execute / imprison a scapegoat to calm public fury, and thus evade responsibility. Then they follow up with harsh legislation that they aren't usually able to enforce. The upside is, at least they try to listen from the people and fear them.

Censorship is the biggest bummer, you are right it stuns creativity. It also keeps the Chinese people from understanding the rest of the world.

Conditions of the working class is experiencing vast improvements throughout the last decade, even with regards to things like worker's rights. That part needs a big applause.

I'd say they are doing an okay job. 6/10.

[starman2003]

I think China's rate of growth in the past 13 or so years has been incredible.
They have caught up to the west in a fraction of the time it would have taken them if they were democratic.
However that rate of growth has come at a cost.
Namely censorship and exploitation of the working class.

Inevitably there will be "exploitation of the working class" if the emphasis is on capital accumulation instead of consumption. That's the way it was in all nations that industrialized.

Also it seems that the government censorship has stunned their creativity.
So what do you guys is China's form of government good or bad?

I like a lot about them--their proof that democracy isn't necessary for economic success, their guts in cracking down at tianamen despite what the world thought, and their one child policy.

[Poelmo]

@ronimacarroni

You're gonna have to write out your opening posts (OP) a little more. Asking whether China is good or bad is like asking whether the world is good or bad. Do you mean the government of China, its people, the combination? And good for whom, Americans, Europeans, the third world?

[Powerup]

China's rise is the fastest and most peaceful one ever in human history. In this sense it's good.
Democracies only make one nation stably grow or decay at a slow pace while benefiting its citizens to a high level.
Asking developing countries to adopt democracy is a plot to keep the rest of the world down forever. It's like telling young people you can already live the life of a forties or fifties and then wait to die.

[ronimacarroni]

China's rise is the fastest and most peaceful one ever in human history. In this sense it's good.
Democracies only make one nation stably grow or decay at a slow pace while benefiting its citizens to a high level.
Asking developing countries to adopt democracy is a plot to keep the rest of the world down forever. It's like telling young people you can already live the life of a forties or fifties and then wait to die.

hmm interesting. I wonder if China's form of government would work in Africa.

[Powerup]

hmm interesting. I wonder if China's form of government would work in Africa.

Culture is an important factor to consider. China has a valuable one that has been nurtured for thousands of years, responsible for both its fall and rise. And China's growth pattern may only be suitable for east asian countries.
You may think that the rise of Japan, SK, Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan etc. is different from mainland China in terms of 'democracy' but I feel it's very similar considering the culture ties. Education, knowledge and hard working are highly valued in these cultures and what they used to lack of was openness.

[Powerup]

Africa has different cultures and maybe very diverse within the continent. It would be wise not to follow the same pattern of manufacturing low cost goods and export to other countries since it does not have a strong industry foundation and it would require a lot of investment and time before cost can be lowered to a competitive level. Thus a highly centralized and powerful government may not be necessary as well.
Its abundant natural resources and tourist resources are its strong point and they can start from there, which provides a very fast return with small amount of investment. Controlling crime rate and disease, well organize the valuable resources that is readily available to them is an urgent thing to do. Once they collect enough capital, they should use it to boost the education first and find out another pillar of its economy, efficiently using the improved human capital before its resources run out.

If a common pattern exists, then its the education. Smart and well-educated people are always the most valuable resources to a nation.

[DudeWhoGetsIt]

i think China's oppression and exploitation of it's citizens, and it's authoritarian control over the economy, the nepotism and corruption, and the squashing of the freedom of the press, assembly, and movement of it's people, is the wet dream of the authoritarian elite here in the US - and by this I mean technocratic elitists posing as "liberals," and corporatist elites posing as, "conservatives," who together constitute a decadent oligharchy who look down on the rest of us as vermin. And I can't say that I blame them, not that I am one of them, but they aren't wrong. :-)

[Franker65]

Generally it must be accepted that China's rise has been a good thing. Conditions for hundreds of millions of people have improved drastically and Chinese people have huge chances at success these days. Though naturally there is always a cost involved. Look at the smog hanging over China's major cities - here is an interesting chart on the downside of China's growth. China accounted for 73% of global carbon emission growth over the past five years.

[Ahovking]

I think China's rate of growth in the past 13 or so years has been incredible.
They have caught up to the west in a fraction of the time it would have taken them if they were democratic.
However that rate of growth has come at a cost.
Namely censorship and exploitation of the working class.
Also it seems that the government censorship has stunned their creativity.
So what do you guys is China's form of government good or bad?

At a cost? no Over time we have seen the chinese society slowly opon. Today the china is far more open and "democratic" then what they were 25 years ago. Chinese progress have brought mainly positive change. even though censorship and exploitation of the working class still exist, its not at the same dagree it was 25 years ago.

Personally, i see china developing their own form of Chinese's democracy, where you elected local officials who if achieve great growth levels or low crime rates they are then promoted within the party to state then national politics.

[Powerup]

China accounted for 73% of global carbon emission growth over the past five years.

This number really doesn't mean anything other than a pure number... Carbon emission per capita is nowhere near the states' and the grow rate here is not yet a problem.