 |
 |
On Oct 3, 2010, at 4:06 AM, Hiu Chan wrote: > I agree with Doung. > Demoncracy is not suitable for every country/society. > China needed communism to stay in control especially after the > Culture Revolution. > Doug wrote: > > > > Or some other strong central government, of course. It's not the > > communism that holds it together. Actually, Hiu, just to be clear, I said it needed a strong central government. The strong central government that held it together, including through the chaos of the Cultural Revolution, needn't have been communist, merely strong. That's been China's historical SOP for millennia, whether the authoritarian government has been animist or confucian, warlord or communist, it's always centripetal. And I think you're right, freedoms will lead to China breaking apart somewhat. It may not lose actual territory but the relationship between Beijing and, say, the far western turkic minorities will loosen. And 'too much freedom' will 'work' one way, 'too little' will 'work' another way, don't you think? Unless, of course, your only goal for 'working' is keeping China together in its current geographical and political configuration. In that case, only very limited freedoms will work. So very easy to predict the future when there's nothing at stake for me. Please take all this as armchair history, Hiu, not as ideological assertions. Very cordially, Doug Doug vanderHoof Producer Modern Media 773-394-0029 Bucktown, Chicago+Seattle http://Modern-media.com Skype: dvanderhoof Personal blog: Tellingdetails.blogspot.com * * Film-Philosophy After hitting 'reply' please always delete the text of the message you are replying to To leave, send the message: leave film-philosophy to: [log in to unmask] Or visit: http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/film-philosophy.html For technical help email: [log in to unmask], not the salon * Film-Philosophy online: http://www.film-philosophy.com Contact: [log in to unmask] **