SPEAKING FREELY Democracy, the best Chinese
medicine By Henry
Ting
Speaking Freely is an Asia Times
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say. Please click hereif you
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Chinese
President Hu Jintao has made several speeches since he
formally took the helm of the communist government in
Beijing. He told the country and the world that China
will have to reform rapidly to defuse Chinese people's
anger at the governmental corruption and inefficiency of
officials, despite the fact that thousands of dishonest
officials have been convicted and sentenced to prison.
Hu acknowledged China's need for market
economic reforms to raise living standards as the top
priority for his government. But he still refused to face
the fact that Western democratic practices are the
basic answer, which he characterized as the dead end
for China's future. His vision for China's
destination, regardless of the successful
capitalistic-leaning economy in China, is to continue to subject
China politically to the guidance of Communist Party
doctrines and leadership. This simplistic solution shows
that Beijing is adamant about the leadership's monolithic
control of the country, while at the same time it fails
to understand how to build a country with a government
that can serve all the people in China politically as
well as economically.
Hu's verdict on Western
democracy is his blatant refusal to admit the basic
democratic principle that "all men are created equal",
that all democratic societies have to abide by the idea
of majority rule and minority rights. Any deviation from
this principle by the government will create an
unbalanced political system without accountability and
transparency.
In any nation or confederation of
nations in the free world, the norm is that the majority
rules but the minorities must be protected, and the
freedom of speech and expression of all people should be
observed vigorously all the time, regardless of
political beliefs and affiliations. The other necessary
aspect of democracy is to focus on the theory of
egalitarianism that will promote social welfare for the
general population.
Above all, a free election
system at all levels is the integral element for
majority rule on a continuing basis so that energized
citizens can join forces in their attempt to express
their beliefs and wishes and to fulfill their political
and economic aspirations. A real democratic system will
have to allow the concerned citizens to form political
parties in order to compete peacefully and equally each
other.
Of course, the obvious
benefit of democracy is to have a transparent
government system that will be watched to ensure that it lives up to
its obligations and is held accountable. The only way
to achieve that goal is to allow multiparty
political establishments to compete with the dominant
political party on an equal footing. This is not an easy pill
for a political entity such as the Chinese Communist Party
(CCP) to swallow, especially since it has been in
absolute control for over half century in China.
But the inevitable truth is that when an
authoritarian government really wants to reform, to get
rid of corruption and incompetence and rural poverty, it
always falls short by refusing to admit the need for
fundamental change. While condemning Western-style
politics that it says will lead China to a dead end, the
CCP's claim to expand "social democracy" to all Chinese
people is just a hollow battle cry to keep the political
opposition at bay.
In his recent speech, Hu
Jintao said China's current situation and widespread
corruption was a matter of life and death for the CCP,
and the nation's future was hanging in the balance.
Instead of a long-term solution for China politically,
he still was adhering to the obsolete concept that the
CCP has absolute veto power over China and all its
people.
The major factor in all the economic
improvement in China in recent years is the investment
and economic assimilation of ideas and know-how from
Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan and the United States. China
has improved a great deal in keeping good and reliable
diplomatic relations with the major developed countries,
as well as its neighbors. But the reality is that China
is still being labeled a country that is in violation of
human rights and suppresses political expression. Unless
that impression can be changed, China will never be able
to ascend the international stage without feeling and
being isolated and alienated from the rest of the world.
And most important, just imagine how much China
will gain if it can show the world that all Chinese
citizens and different political parties are joining
forces to bring about China's political reform. From the
examples of the former Soviet Union and the Eastern
European nations' transformations during 1990s, the
Communist Party will still be a powerful political and
social force to be reckoned with. By depending on
democratic principles, China will be under a political
system of checks and balances. The problems of
corruption and public officials' incompetence will be
much easier to tackle.
And the result will
become the greatest political harvest for China, since
Taiwan will no longer be able to use the cause of
freedom and democracy to refuse the reunification
dialogue of "one China". And future US administrations
will have to be much more flexible and compromising in
their policies toward China. And China will be able genuinely
to absorb, in due time, the two most advanced
regions in China in terms of free society and economic
success, Taiwan and Hong Kong.
Of course, there
will be deficiencies in the democratic system such as
money politics, political parties' vehement squabbles,
and the lack of social welfare protection for all the
people. But the gains will definitely outweigh the
deficiencies for China under the current circumstances.
And President and party chief Hu Jintao and Premier
Wen Jiabao are well aware of the compelling facts
in Hong Kong where the democrats are pushing for universal
suffrage in the 2007 and 2008 elections. They are
convinced that by then more than 60% of the population in
Hong Kong will be favoring direct election of both their
lawmakers and the chief executive. The long-term result
of such a democratic experience for Hong Kong, whenever
it happens, will be the guiding principle for one
Chinese nation in the years to come.
By turning
toward democratic suffrage in China, not only will the
Chinese government gain the upper hand in the
pro-democracy movement and periodic disturbances in Hong
Kong, it will also undercut the independence-inclined
political groups in Taiwan. Combined with a genuine and
evolving market economic system, a rejuvenated Chinese
nation will not have to worry about the huge outlays of
funds in both China and Taiwan in order to pretend to
safeguard their security. A united China will be able
concentrate its energy and resources to develop a
balanced economy that benefits all the people - and it
will fulfill a century-long aspiration for science and
democracy. And with the prospect of reunification with
Taiwan, the Chinese government will achieve its
overarching and often-repeated goal.
There
is a great opportunity since Secretary of State
Colin Powell's recent clarification of US foreign policy
for the future in the Taiwan Strait. His call for direct
conversation between China and Taiwan under the current
situation will be a great stepping stone for both sides.
Neither China nor Taiwan can survive a bruising military
conflict, and neither has a viable reason to resist the
most important opportunity facing all the Chinese
people.
Henry Ting is a retired
professor and former journalist living in Wilmington,
Delaware, US.
(Copyright 2004 Henry Ting.)
Speaking Freely is an Asia Times Online
feature that allows guest writers to have their say.
Please click hereif you
are interested in contributing.
