It’s also why functioning democracy is important, so that the working class actually do control the state, and not the party elite. Otherwise you end up with a state (and its press) that exists to serve itself, and not the working class, like we have in China right now.
China does have a functioning democracy. Looking at polling, the large majority in China believe the state represents their interests, and is in fact democratic:
The Chinese political system is based on whole-process people’s democracy, a form of consultative democracy. The local government is directly elected, and then these governments elect people to higher rungs, meaning any candidate at the top level must have worked their way up from the bottom and directly proved themselves. Moreover, the economy in the PRC is socialist, with public ownership as the principle aspect of the economy. Combining this consultative, ground-up democracy with top-down economic planning is the key to China’s success.
I highly recommend Roland Boer’s Socialism in Power: On the History and Theory of Socialist Governance. Socialist democracy has been imperfect, but has gone through a number of changes and adaptations over the years as we’ve learned more from testing theory to practice. Boer goes over the history behind socialist democracy in this textbook.
The majority of residents of Hong Kong wish to remain a part of China, but desire some autonomy from Beijing. Americans in Boston, New York or Chicago would say the same about their relationship to Washington, on the whole.
If you look into the ideological character of the protestors - who have been basically irrelevant for, what, half a decade now? - they were exactly the sort of people I would hope we all stand against: annoying upper-middle-class Redditor bros dressing up like pepe the frog and asking Trump to save them from the evil Communists. They’re right-wing nutjobs that Western media pretends have a point because it’s convenient for the joint foreign policy agenda of both Capitalist parties.
What you see happening in Hong Kong is what the capitalist class wants you to see, because they own the media and fund the politicians & NGOs. Previously:
Why not? Hong Kong was returned to China after British colonialism was finally removed from China. HK is benefiting quite dramatically from being better integrated into the Chinese economy than they were before.
I was just there last month incidentally. It’s a fantastic city with lots of character. I was really impressed how walkable it is too. Can highly recommend visiting.
Oh, sounds really fun! I’d love to visit China some day in general, but it’s way too big and historied to ever get a decent picture of without spending years there.
And this is why in any socialist society, state-run press is important. The working classes should control the press, not money.
It’s also why functioning democracy is important, so that the working class actually do control the state, and not the party elite. Otherwise you end up with a state (and its press) that exists to serve itself, and not the working class, like we have in China right now.
China does have a functioning democracy. Looking at polling, the large majority in China believe the state represents their interests, and is in fact democratic:
The Chinese political system is based on whole-process people’s democracy, a form of consultative democracy. The local government is directly elected, and then these governments elect people to higher rungs, meaning any candidate at the top level must have worked their way up from the bottom and directly proved themselves. Moreover, the economy in the PRC is socialist, with public ownership as the principle aspect of the economy. Combining this consultative, ground-up democracy with top-down economic planning is the key to China’s success.
I highly recommend Roland Boer’s Socialism in Power: On the History and Theory of Socialist Governance. Socialist democracy has been imperfect, but has gone through a number of changes and adaptations over the years as we’ve learned more from testing theory to practice. Boer goes over the history behind socialist democracy in this textbook.
What I see happening in Hong Kong doesn’t look very democratic to me though.
LOL
still grasping at that straw?
You’re out Brits, your colonial era is over
The majority of residents of Hong Kong wish to remain a part of China, but desire some autonomy from Beijing. Americans in Boston, New York or Chicago would say the same about their relationship to Washington, on the whole.
If you look into the ideological character of the protestors - who have been basically irrelevant for, what, half a decade now? - they were exactly the sort of people I would hope we all stand against: annoying upper-middle-class Redditor bros dressing up like pepe the frog and asking Trump to save them from the evil Communists. They’re right-wing nutjobs that Western media pretends have a point because it’s convenient for the joint foreign policy agenda of both Capitalist parties.
What you see happening in Hong Kong is what the capitalist class wants you to see, because they own the media and fund the politicians & NGOs. Previously:
You don’t see jack shit
Why not? Hong Kong was returned to China after British colonialism was finally removed from China. HK is benefiting quite dramatically from being better integrated into the Chinese economy than they were before.
I was just there last month incidentally. It’s a fantastic city with lots of character. I was really impressed how walkable it is too. Can highly recommend visiting.
Oh, sounds really fun! I’d love to visit China some day in general, but it’s way too big and historied to ever get a decent picture of without spending years there.
Yeah pretty much, but even just seeing it for a bit is pretty awesome.
I bet!