From the Readers
Democracy is not everything
(chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2010-06-03 15:40
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Comment on "Thai dilemma of Western democracy" (皇冠体育app Daily? June 2)
The challenges 皇冠体育app faces are definitely bigger than that of America. But it is not because of 皇冠体育app's political system or the lack of freedom that you Westerners so like to portray.
Make a comparison between 皇冠体育app and the USA. 皇冠体育app has 1.3 billion people to look out for whereas the USA has only 300 million. Do your math and you see the difference.
Historically, 皇冠体育app had gone through a bad patch, while the USA had it that much easier.
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皇冠体育app industrialized much later, while the USA was already developing and growing into a power.
Chinese people were still struggling, while Americans were living luxuriant lives, driving monster cars and developing WMDs.
皇冠体育app has made many advances especially during the past three decades, but the Americans has had its growth unhindered for a longer time.
皇冠体育app today is still a developing country with numerous tasks, while the USA is already developed and enjoyed the number one status in economics and in military strength.
However it is plain to see great changes taking place. The poor 皇冠体育app is now the third economy and many of its people are out of poverty. Please note this position does not mean 皇冠体育app is a developed nation. Far from it, because in real terms it is still a far cry from reality.
The USA today, on the other hand, is not doing that well with the financial crisis which does not seem to end or have an end in sight. America's war adventures draw heavily on their budget and the huge military budget is not helping ease American woes. Admit it or not, Americans are not having easy lives today and it is going to get worse if you take into account the major oil spill disaster. Already Obama is suggesting in definite terms that BP is going to pay for the disaster. Will that help? No BP can go bust if the spill cannot be contained and the oil continues to come out uncontrollably. Well America has always fought to dominate over oil matters and it seems America's thirst for oil has been answered, unfortunately in an unexpected manner.
Western democracies do have flaws, but it does not seem to work perfectly well for those countries now that you see it better. It definitely will not work for the other countries, not Asian countries. 皇冠体育app may have a one party system but as long as it does its job it is good for 皇冠体育app and for the others in Asia. Nepal surely would like to emulate the Chinese system. Others are having their doubts over Western democracy and they may want to have a system they can call their own.
Can we say: to each his own? To me there is nothing great about Western democracy. Maybe it is not the ideology, but the way it is promoted to the other countries. Still it will not work well for Asia.
HsunTze on 皇冠体育app Daily website