Developing democracy
THE PEOPLE'S UNIVERSITY, BEIJING: We are at what has been billed as an event "unprecedented in China's history". Premier Wen and Gordon Brown are taking "questions" from an invited group of Chinese and English students and party stooges. One penetrating enquiry came from the chairwoman of a local village party organisation. She asked "what the Chinese government will do to continue to increase people's well being".
The premier thanked her for raising her question "sharply" and "objectively" and said how healthy it was "for the two of us to listen to our people". The rows of rather old looking students all dressed in near identical dark suits clapped enthusiastically. Good grief.
Earlier at their joint news conference I asked the premier when the Chinese people would be able to choose their own national leaders. He didn't answer specifically but pledged that China "will unswervingly develop democracy."
When I was in Beijing with Tony Blair two years ago a lively bunch of students in casual clothes posed proper questions to him. It gave me some hope that the iron grip of party control was being released. Today's event demonstrates just how far there still is to go.
I'm 
Comments
Bluffers guide to emerging economies? Nick you hide your light.
but we shouldn’t create any more fiasco by dismantling that country for the sake of so called "democracy" ..
Nick, Gordon does not care about whether Chinese people will be able to vote - he just wants the trade - he is a good socialist
Good grief indeed.
Interesting to see your comment on the clothing matter of the uni students in China. I was doing my undergrad at a Chinese uni at the moment when Tony Blair made a quite well-accepted appearance at Peking Uni - it had almost completely reverted the conservative, traditional image that Britain had presented itself with. Many students were then attracted by the live, dynamic and creative British culture he brought with his speech and as somewhat a consequence (or not), I ended up now in London for a PhD.
This time is quite different. Firstly the speech is given at the People's Uni - what a boring uni is that - it could win the red-tape medal among Chinese unis, IMHO. Secondly, on the British side, Brown does ... resemble a quite serious (if I omit old, dull, communist-style) figure I think. That might well have had an impact to dressing code they suggested!
Don't be pulled off Nick, if you have time do go to the street talking to people (especially students) about their minds. You will know much better of a real changing society than in a carpeted hall surrounded by national flags.
I went to see the "First Emperor" exhibition at the British Museum last night which was pretty impressive. However learning about the story of the emperor Qin who first unified the country you see really how permanent the chinese psyche is. Qin unified and mantained a huge empire by force of arms and a very effective administrative service. People were promoted on merit alone and the emperor's laws were enforced by a standing army nearly a million strong. The chinese people were prepared/coralled into making huge efforts for the sake of the country. If you look at China now you are struck by how these values are still so prevalent. It is helps explain the unity of a vast nation, the industrionous of it's people and the lack of appetite for democracy.
Event/news management and compliant audiences that Brown can only dream of...
A compliant audience featuring "party stooges" asking planted questions designed to show the govt in a good light . . .
The Chinese have obviously seen PMQ's and were trying to make Mr Brown feel at home!
Given Brown's ability to attract bad news like a rash I would expect a fresh Chinese human rights abuse story to emerge soon; several withdrawals from the Olympic games to follow suit; fresh flooding at the Three Gorges Damn and a renewed outbreak of bird flu.
Woke up this morning to R4's headline news from the PM about tens of thousand of new jobs emanating from China. I thought "Tractors". Then Nick spoke from what seemed like a prepared script from the PM's spin-doctors. I thought "another 20-year plan". Fortunately it all went over my head. It was just a bad dream. But on reflection why does Nick allow himself to be manipulated like this?
Democracy is a dismal failure everywhere. We now have laws in place which can put someone behind bars with no proof of guilt, because the State says so. This is a reversal of 200 years of legistlation in Britain. I doubt you will even allow this comment to appear on your rather mediocre webpage.
China is a slave economy, that Brown and other British politicians are more than willing to do business with such a State, indicates to me that 'democratic politicians' have no real power over the economy, ownership and wealth. It is the people who control wealth who are in power, the politicians are just their puppets. And we are living in a totalitarian world order when the only legitimate government being supported by rhetoric at least is democracy... no other form is acceptable (this means the rich have captured power through democracy and want it everywhere).
We and the Chinese hold common ground on one aspect of democracy. We're united in our desire to have a leader people actually voted for.
China seems a frightening place to me. The the main reason why I take all this "next superpower" stuff with a pinch of salt is that the Chinese states own regressive nature is a pretty big obstacle.
A billion people is an impressive demographic, but not when most of them are still destitute and under-educated. The only thing which could turn that around is genuine freedom; but as you well know, that isn't forthcoming.
Will China ever be a democracy?
Imagine a landslide win there at an election?
As for super power I don't think anyone can stop them now.