In 2000 the US House of Representatives voted to normalize trade relations with China.
That was de-facto endorsement of China joining the World Trade Association.
Removing all the barriers then in place to China becoming a major economic power was thought to be the secret sauce that would create an economic environment in which China would inevitably migrate to western style democratic norms.
Democracy follows in the path of Capitalist Prosperity, doesn't it?
23 years on, China is on the brink of being the largest economy in the world.
And the recently concluded Communist Party Congress which effectively extended Xi Jinping's dictatorship for life showed how misguided those hopes and beliefs had been.
The people have no say in what happens.
Xi Jinping has sole power in the land.
It turned out that China's plan for using the prosperity generated by WTO membership was that, if vast masses of Chinese citizens could be lifted out of poverty to middle class prosperity, they would do what they were told.
Not prosperity and incipient democracy.
The People have, until recently done what they are told.
If the multiple reports of serious anti-government, anti Xi Jinping demonstrations are to be believed it may be that the people are emerging with a different point of view.
Apparently they want to keep their prosperity and also acquire a say in how things are being run.
If true, we're in for some interesting times.
No comments:
Post a Comment