Posted on 10/14/2007 8:35:51 AM PDT by TigerLikesRooster
China rules out West's democracy
By Michael Bristow
BBC News, Beijing
China will never have Western-style democracy, a senior official said on the eve of the country's most important political meeting in five years. But Li Dongsheng, spokesman for the Communist Party's 17th congress, said China would pursue political reform.
Mr Li was speaking at a news conference ahead of the congress, which opens in the capital, Beijing, on Monday.
Some party members have called for political changes to accompany economic reforms, which have transformed China.
The majority of people have enjoyed real benefits from reform and opening up
Li Dongsheng Communist Party Spokesman
Mr Li said: "Political reform is an important component of our comprehensive reform. We have advanced political reform without pause."
But he quickly quashed any idea that China could eventually become a multi-party liberal democracy.
"We will never copy the Western model of political system," he said as he gave details about the congress, which meets every five years.
'Theoretical innovations'
Mr Li's statement is not surprising as other senior party leaders have voiced similar comments in the past.
But it sets the tone for the congress, at which delegates will endorse policies that are set to shape China over the coming years.
As well as discussing future policies, congress delegates will hear a report from Chinese President Hu Jintao, who is also the party's general secretary.
They will also amend the party's constitution to reflect what Mr Li described as "theoretical innovations".
That probably means President Hu's ideas about "scientific development" will be written into the constitution.
This concept calls for more balanced economic development that does not lead to problems such as pollution or a widening wealth gap between rich and poor.
The constitution was also changed in 2002 to include previous President Jiang Zemin's contribution to political thought - The Three Represents.
That idea reflected the former president's desire to bring a wider range of people into the party, most notably China's newly rich business class.
Politburo election
At the press conference, Mr Li revealed that ex-President Jiang, as well as two former premiers, Li Peng and Zhu Rongji, will attend the congress as special delegates.
These veteran leaders will join a total of 2,213 ordinary delegates.
The delegates' main task will be to select the party central committee, which will then in turn select members of the politburo, the country's highest decision-making body.
There has been widespread speculation about who will be elected to the politburo's elite standing committee.
Li Keqiang, the current chief of Liaoning Province, and Shanghai boss Xi Jinping have both been tipped to join the standing committee.
But whatever policies and personnel changes are approved at the week-long congress, China is set to continue on its current course.
The congress' spokesman, Li Dongsheng, dismissed discontent about problems such as pollution and the illegal taking of farmers' land.
He said these were regional and individual cases.
"The majority of people have enjoyed real benefits from reform and opening up," he said.
And why would they want to? Look at what kind of problems having Democrats has caused for us. Why would they willingly entertain treason if they didn't have to? Kudos to the Chinese...
If we could stifle treason we'd certainly have the best system of government on the planet. Perhaps they'll learn from our mistakes.
As it is, the two party system is on it's way towards melding and establishing a socialist plutocracy where politicians are the aristocrats and Democrat party members are a protected class. The rest of us are tax-bearers or revenue gatherers...
A little history lesson: If you don’t know the answer make your best guess. Answer all the questions before looking at the answers.
Who said it?
1) “We’re going to take things away from you on behalf of the common
good.”
A. Karl Marx
B. Adolph Hitler
C. Joseph Stalin
D. None of the above
2) “It’s time for a new beginning, for an end to government of the few,
by the few, and for the few...and to replace it with shared
responsibility for shared prosperity.”
A. Lenin
B. Mussolini
C. Idi Amin
D. None of the Above
3) “(We)...can’t just let business as usual go on, and that means
something has to be taken away from some people.”
A. Nikita Khrushev
B. Jose f Goebbels
C. Boris Yeltsin
D. None of the above
4) “We have to build a political consensus and that requires people to
give up a little bit of their own...in order to create this common
ground.”
A. Mao Tse Dung
B. Hugo Chavez
C. Kim Jong Il
D. None of the above
5) “I certainly think the free-market has failed.”
> A. Karl Marx
B. Lenin
C. Molotov
D. None of the above
6) “I think it’s time to send a clear message to what has become the
most profitable sector in (the) entire economy that they are being
watched.”
A. Pinochet
B. Milosevic
C. Saddam Hussein
D. None of the above
—
—
—
—
Answers:
(1) D. None of the above. Statement was made by Hillary Clinton
6/29/2004
(2) D. None of the above. Statement was made by Hillary Clinton
5/29/2007
(3) D. None of the above. Statement was made by Hillary Clinton 6/4/2007
(4) D. None of the above. Statement was made by Hillary Clinton 6/4/2007
(5) D. None of the above. Statement was made by Hillary Clinton 6/4/2007
(6) D. None of the above. Statement was made by Hillary Clinton 9/2/2005
Be afraid. Be very, very afraid!
I think history does show that; historically, I believe that chaos has not been kind to the ordinary individual in China.
While there are always cycles in China, transitional periods have been on the whole hard on the Chinese people.
Agreed, famous last words. But soon is kind of relative. I’ve been thinking by mid-century. You?
Yeah. Why go for a winner when you can go second stringer???
These "former" communist countrys are all saying this. What they fail to recognize is that to get part of the winning ticket, you have to take the whole thing. Democracy, economics, military subordinate to political leadership, captialism, free markets, property ownership, rule of law ... all of it, or it simply doesn't work.
Dolts.
Come and listen to my story about a man named Jeb...
There are many flourishing democracies in the world where it was once said it can never happen.
There are many flourishing democracies in the world where it was once said it can never happen.
There are many flourishing democracies in the world where it was once said it can never happen.
Neither will the U.S.A. if the Democrats have their way.
I am constantly reminded, on FreeRepublic, that the United States is not a Democracy.
The Europeans show a certain wisdom in inviting the Muslims to become their masters. Otherwise it would be the Chinese.
“Never” is a long time.
Even as the Chinese measure it, “Never” is a very long time.
Never say “never.”
yes but it took a lot of bombs and blood before it was possible
Wisdom?
The ideology of communism as a way of life will eventually die a natural death, but islamism, if we do not strangle it, will torment civilization until the end of days.
China has the long cycle of demographic explosion beyond its carrying capacity. Coupled with decay of dynasty and run-away corruption, the country plunges into chaos, and lose large part of its population. It is a vicious cycle the mandate of one China cannot solve.
China went into a wrong track, unlike Europe and India.
Maybe because other than rhetoric from certain circles that may wish it so, they're not our enemy. At least not yet.
China is Communist. I thought Communists WERE our enemy. (They are mine!)
I thought Communists WERE our enemy.
Curious. Communists weren't always the enemy. Matter of fact for awhile they were an ally sometime before and during WWII. And exactly how can a economic ideology be an enemy?
Back in 1775, Great Britian ruled out this “western” style democracy too...didn’t make a whit of difference in the end...after the fighting.
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