Alex Goes To China

This is a response to a blog by Dedlam on his blog ‘Dedlog’ written on 3 June 2009 titled Justifying the [Great Firewall of China] GFW but nothing else. Unfortunately I cannot twitter or facebook update about this blog, as I have been blocked, the Great Firewall of China strikes again. It has many interesting insights into China, censorship and authoritarianism from an Australian that has been living in there. It inspired me to put my two cents worth forward, in response to him.

I agree with the assertion that there is no such thing as ‘evil’… at least in the Hollywood sense of the word. However, I disagree with Dedlam’s familial metaphor of Chinese governance as justification of the Great Firewall of China. My view is coming from a democratic politic, which has many flaws, but nevertheless is a more reasonable position than justifying authoritarianism.

Civil disobedience and political critique in China are dealt with through censorship and violence to her own people [1]. This is not a Right of Governance, but an Abuse of Power. Self preservation by a regime is no justification for this abuse. The fact that many Chinese citizens are susceptible to demagogy and fallacious appeals to patriotism is further proof of a successful 60 year long campaign of misinformation and ‘re-education’.

We should be equally critical of capitalism’s perversion of democracy. Americans, for instance, are perhaps even more susceptible to demagogy than the Chinese (for example G.W. Bush’s irrational rhetoric after Sept. 11 and his subsequent reelection). It seems that power corrupts no matter what the political or economic system. This is why the checks and balances of a self critical democracy should be obtained and preserved peacefully whenever possible in order to diminish the opportunities for corruption.

China is capable of a free democracy. It will take time, but a political system that can withstand critique and disobedience is more likely to be creative, innovative and modern. I hope the people of China will create a democracy that suits its recent trend toward modernity. It seems that this shift will happen sooner rather than later. The old ways of Maoist Communism and 1978 style ’socialism with Chinese characteristics’ are fast fading. They will be replaced with a socialist democracy… with Chinese characteristics.

These predictions for the future are fraught; and may not come to pass, but I hope they do. Ironically they will probably not be achieved through revolution, but rather through education, as the old PRC realises there is more power in a free democratic people than the doctrines of Marx and Mao.

[1]: ie/ The Great Firewall of China, Tienanmen Massacre, etc.

Let me start this critical blog with a preface; Shanghai is an amazing city. Modern, eclectic and fascinating. The people, food and culture are all buzzing energy and humour. The Xiao Chi (particularly a savoury pancake made by street vendors whose name I do not yet know) is to die for and the sights and sounds are amazing. But that said there is still dark sides to the city which are not well hidden. Poverty, lack of basic hygiene and political oppression are rife in Shanghai. In the short 5 days Jo and I have been here we have already witnessed an obvious travesty of social freedom.

Jo and I went for a walk through the French Concession and saw a group of people watching a band with a woman singing a traditional folk song. Everyone was smiling and enjoying the hot, humid evening. This experience up to this point was very pleasant.

But then a stocky man in a white shirt walked through the crowd and went up to the amplifier and started turning the dials. This changed the pitch of the song, but failed to achieve his aim, I later realised, of silencing the music. The crowd started to get nervous, shifting on their heels and whispering to each other. Then two policemen dressed in riot gear (helmets with visors and body armour) pushed through, but stopped at the edge of the circle of people. The woman singing boldly finished her song with a lasting cadence which drew applause from the mildly defiant audience. Once the applause began the policemen stepped forward writing on a pad (I assume it was an infringement notice). The crowd then began to dissipate, yet some bunched around the policemen and protested politely. The man in the white shirt began unplugging things. I wanted to help in some way but failed to think of anything that would not make the situation worse. I was concerned that the scene would escalate and I wanted to get Jo (and myself) away from the scene. Regrettably, I didn’t have my phone on me or I would have photographed it surreptitiously to witness the event.

In some ways the most oppressed members of this situation were the policemen. My optimistic nature hopes that the policemen didn’t want to do what they did. When they waited for the song to finish I detected a sense of regret in their body language. But the fact remains, after Nuremberg – this is no defense. The freedoms of speech and expression simply do not exist in China, not even in modern Shanghai, and while there are still those willing to enforce the status quo the situation will not change.

I thought organising a trip to China would be difficult, but it’s as easy as booking a return ticket (AU$1100) and applying for a travel visa (AU$40) and within 4 days you are ready to go.

I am going to to be tweeting and blogging this whole thing. I am leaving in 3 weeks. Oh, and I forgot to mention – I am turning 31 tomorrow… eek!