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The New Coffee Room

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  3. China crushes democracy

China crushes democracy

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  • kluursK kluurs

    @george-k said in China crushes democracy:

    China is an asshole.

    And in 20 years, the world will be theirs.

    George KG Offline
    George KG Offline
    George K
    wrote on last edited by
    #5

    @kluurs said in China crushes democracy:

    @george-k said in China crushes democracy:

    China is an asshole.

    And in 20 years, the world will be theirs.

    Yup, and I'll be 90, or dead.

    In either case, for me, it won't matter.

    "Now look here, you Baltic gas passer... " - Mik, 6/14/08

    The saying, "Lite is just one damn thing after another," is a gross understatement. The damn things overlap.

    1 Reply Last reply
    • kluursK kluurs

      @george-k said in China crushes democracy:

      China is an asshole.

      And in 20 years, the world will be theirs.

      L Offline
      L Offline
      Loki
      wrote on last edited by
      #6

      @kluurs said in China crushes democracy:

      @george-k said in China crushes democracy:

      China is an asshole.

      And in 20 years, the world will be theirs.

      How long do you think before Taiwan falls?

      JollyJ 1 Reply Last reply
      • X Offline
        X Offline
        xenon
        wrote on last edited by
        #7

        We only win by demonstrating that our system of self-governance isn't a shit-show.

        Lately - it's been kind of a shit-show.

        1 Reply Last reply
        • RainmanR Offline
          RainmanR Offline
          Rainman
          wrote on last edited by
          #8

          @george-k said in China crushes democracy:

          A national security hotline, set up in November for people to leave anonymous tips about potential violators of the law, has received 40,000 reports, expanding mainland China-style surveillance on the ground.
          .
          The national security law categorizes four crimes—secession, subversion, terrorism and colluding with foreign forces, punishable by up to life imprisonment.

          C'mon, man. We'll eat their lunch.
          And c'mon, man, these types of rules would be good for the U.S., where everyone is free to not speak and avoid being canceled. Government is only there to help all with equity, where everyone must be true patriots for the system in the U.S. to work as well.

          Yeah, maybe in 20 years, which is 7 internet years.

          1 Reply Last reply
          • L Loki

            @kluurs said in China crushes democracy:

            @george-k said in China crushes democracy:

            China is an asshole.

            And in 20 years, the world will be theirs.

            How long do you think before Taiwan falls?

            JollyJ Offline
            JollyJ Offline
            Jolly
            wrote on last edited by
            #9

            @loki said in China crushes democracy:

            @kluurs said in China crushes democracy:

            @george-k said in China crushes democracy:

            China is an asshole.

            And in 20 years, the world will be theirs.

            How long do you think before Taiwan falls?

            Within 20 years. Most likely, 10.

            “Cry havoc and let slip the DOGE of war!”

            Those who cheered as J-6 American prisoners were locked in solitary for 18 months without trial, now suddenly fight tooth and nail for foreign terrorists’ "due process". — Buck Sexton

            1 Reply Last reply
            • RenaudaR Offline
              RenaudaR Offline
              Renauda
              wrote on last edited by
              #10

              As Princeton Historian Stephen Kotkin has been trying to point out for several years, the only people who are surprised to discover that China is still a communist state are Westerners. We had actually led ourselves to believe in our own delusion that China was reforming politically alongside its economic transformation. Nothing could be further from the truth.

              It is no more reformed politically now than it was thirty years ago when the Tienanmen Square massacre happened.

              Elbows up!

              JollyJ RainmanR 2 Replies Last reply
              • RenaudaR Renauda

                As Princeton Historian Stephen Kotkin has been trying to point out for several years, the only people who are surprised to discover that China is still a communist state are Westerners. We had actually led ourselves to believe in our own delusion that China was reforming politically alongside its economic transformation. Nothing could be further from the truth.

                It is no more reformed politically now than it was thirty years ago when the Tienanmen Square massacre happened.

                JollyJ Offline
                JollyJ Offline
                Jolly
                wrote on last edited by
                #11

                @renauda said in China crushes democracy:

                As Princeton Historian Stephen Kotkin has been trying to point out for several years, the only people who are surprised to discover that China is still a communist state are Westerners. We had actually led ourselves to believe in our own delusion that China was reforming politically alongside its economic transformation. Nothing could be further from the truth.

                It is no more reformed politically now than it was thirty years ago when the Tienanmen Square massacre happened.

                Not this westerner. And not a whole lot of people who voted for the same presidential candidate I did, think the same.

                “Cry havoc and let slip the DOGE of war!”

                Those who cheered as J-6 American prisoners were locked in solitary for 18 months without trial, now suddenly fight tooth and nail for foreign terrorists’ "due process". — Buck Sexton

                RenaudaR 1 Reply Last reply
                • HoraceH Online
                  HoraceH Online
                  Horace
                  wrote on last edited by
                  #12

                  China is homogeneous, and not for the individual. The people born into it, like it that way.

                  Education is extremely important.

                  1 Reply Last reply
                  • CopperC Offline
                    CopperC Offline
                    Copper
                    wrote on last edited by
                    #13

                    Just a few miles from here down Route 17 they build aircraft carriers and other wonderful devices.

                    There are not many people around here who would be surprised to discover China is a commie state.

                    In fact, they wouldn't have to discover it at all, they already know.

                    1 Reply Last reply
                    • RenaudaR Renauda

                      As Princeton Historian Stephen Kotkin has been trying to point out for several years, the only people who are surprised to discover that China is still a communist state are Westerners. We had actually led ourselves to believe in our own delusion that China was reforming politically alongside its economic transformation. Nothing could be further from the truth.

                      It is no more reformed politically now than it was thirty years ago when the Tienanmen Square massacre happened.

                      RainmanR Offline
                      RainmanR Offline
                      Rainman
                      wrote on last edited by
                      #14

                      @renauda said in China crushes democracy:

                      As Princeton Historian Stephen Kotkin has been trying to point out for several years, the only people who are surprised to discover that China is still a communist state are Westerners. We had actually led ourselves to believe in our own delusion that China was reforming politically alongside its economic transformation. Nothing could be further from the truth.

                      It is no more reformed politically now than it was thirty years ago when the Tienanmen Square massacre happened.

                      Spot on, Renauda.
                      I think there are plenty of people in the West that don't know if Mao was a good guy or a bad guy. And even more people in the West that don't give a damn because well, they just don't.

                      1 Reply Last reply
                      • JollyJ Jolly

                        @renauda said in China crushes democracy:

                        As Princeton Historian Stephen Kotkin has been trying to point out for several years, the only people who are surprised to discover that China is still a communist state are Westerners. We had actually led ourselves to believe in our own delusion that China was reforming politically alongside its economic transformation. Nothing could be further from the truth.

                        It is no more reformed politically now than it was thirty years ago when the Tienanmen Square massacre happened.

                        Not this westerner. And not a whole lot of people who voted for the same presidential candidate I did, think the same.

                        RenaudaR Offline
                        RenaudaR Offline
                        Renauda
                        wrote on last edited by Renauda
                        #15

                        @jolly said in China crushes democracy:

                        Not this westerner. And not a whole lot of people who voted for the same presidential candidate I did, think the same.

                        Yes, if my memory serves me right, you have never bought into the China democratization model. Frankly speaking, I don't think many ordinary folks gave it much thought, particularly supporters of the presidential candidate you supported. Besides, that presidential candidate himself invested into China, just like the rest of his big bourgeois capitalist cronies. Business is, by its very nature, opportunistic.

                        When I refer to westerners, I am referring to big business leaders, most politicians and academics. It was inconceivable to them that as the Chinese economy expanded and GDP increased that political reform towards democracy would not also take root. They failed to see or more likely forgot, that communism is an all or nothing system. A communist system cannot survive in a politically pluralist environment. Big business in particular looked at the Chinese Communist system through rose coloured glasses and saw the mirage of democracy in the distance.

                        The Chinese communists were and remain, very mindful of what happened in the Soviet Union and the Eastern European states when glasnost' and perestroika were introduced. The European Communist parties and their states imploded upon themselves. Not one was left in power. Owing to this, under no circumstances will Xi and the Party cadres allow any internal questioning of the political supremacy of the Communist Party over the organs of state or the Chinese population.

                        Elbows up!

                        George KG taiwan_girlT 2 Replies Last reply
                        • RainmanR Offline
                          RainmanR Offline
                          Rainman
                          wrote on last edited by
                          #16

                          @renauda said in China crushes democracy:

                          Besides, that presidential candidate himself invested into China, just like the rest of his big bourgeois capitalist cronies.

                          There is no innocence in the Biden family, he has his own bourgeois capitalist cronies in the swamp, in swamps everywhere, maybe even in Canada along with Chinese swamp dwellers.

                          I'm just jealous. Nothing like easy money, in my family.

                          1 Reply Last reply
                          • RenaudaR Renauda

                            @jolly said in China crushes democracy:

                            Not this westerner. And not a whole lot of people who voted for the same presidential candidate I did, think the same.

                            Yes, if my memory serves me right, you have never bought into the China democratization model. Frankly speaking, I don't think many ordinary folks gave it much thought, particularly supporters of the presidential candidate you supported. Besides, that presidential candidate himself invested into China, just like the rest of his big bourgeois capitalist cronies. Business is, by its very nature, opportunistic.

                            When I refer to westerners, I am referring to big business leaders, most politicians and academics. It was inconceivable to them that as the Chinese economy expanded and GDP increased that political reform towards democracy would not also take root. They failed to see or more likely forgot, that communism is an all or nothing system. A communist system cannot survive in a politically pluralist environment. Big business in particular looked at the Chinese Communist system through rose coloured glasses and saw the mirage of democracy in the distance.

                            The Chinese communists were and remain, very mindful of what happened in the Soviet Union and the Eastern European states when glasnost' and perestroika were introduced. The European Communist parties and their states imploded upon themselves. Not one was left in power. Owing to this, under no circumstances will Xi and the Party cadres allow any internal questioning of the political supremacy of the Communist Party over the organs of state or the Chinese population.

                            George KG Offline
                            George KG Offline
                            George K
                            wrote on last edited by George K
                            #17

                            @renauda said in China crushes democracy:

                            Yes, if my memory serves me right, you have never bought into the China democratization model. Frankly speaking, I don't think many ordinary folks gave it much thought, particularly supporters of the presidential candidate you supported.

                            If my memory serves, the candidate that @Jolly supported called China out more than one time for being predatory and oppressive.

                            Besides, that presidential candidate himself invested into China, just like the rest of his big bourgeois capitalist cronies. Business is, by its very nature, opportunistic.

                            As @Rainman says, we know a lot about the investments of the Biden offspring into China.

                            And here's where you post gets really, really good.

                            They failed to see or more likely forgot, that communism is an all or nothing system. A communist system cannot survive in a politically pluralist environment. Big business in particular looked at the Chinese Communist system through rose coloured glasses and saw the mirage of democracy in the distance.

                            The Chinese communists were and remain, very mindful of what happened in the Soviet Union and the Eastern European states when glasnost' and perestroika were introduced. The European Communist parties and their states imploded upon themselves. Not one was left in power. Owing to this, under no circumstances will Xi and the Party cadres allow any internal questioning of the political supremacy of the Communist Party over the organs of state or the Chinese population.

                            "Now look here, you Baltic gas passer... " - Mik, 6/14/08

                            The saying, "Lite is just one damn thing after another," is a gross understatement. The damn things overlap.

                            RenaudaR 1 Reply Last reply
                            • RenaudaR Renauda

                              @jolly said in China crushes democracy:

                              Not this westerner. And not a whole lot of people who voted for the same presidential candidate I did, think the same.

                              Yes, if my memory serves me right, you have never bought into the China democratization model. Frankly speaking, I don't think many ordinary folks gave it much thought, particularly supporters of the presidential candidate you supported. Besides, that presidential candidate himself invested into China, just like the rest of his big bourgeois capitalist cronies. Business is, by its very nature, opportunistic.

                              When I refer to westerners, I am referring to big business leaders, most politicians and academics. It was inconceivable to them that as the Chinese economy expanded and GDP increased that political reform towards democracy would not also take root. They failed to see or more likely forgot, that communism is an all or nothing system. A communist system cannot survive in a politically pluralist environment. Big business in particular looked at the Chinese Communist system through rose coloured glasses and saw the mirage of democracy in the distance.

                              The Chinese communists were and remain, very mindful of what happened in the Soviet Union and the Eastern European states when glasnost' and perestroika were introduced. The European Communist parties and their states imploded upon themselves. Not one was left in power. Owing to this, under no circumstances will Xi and the Party cadres allow any internal questioning of the political supremacy of the Communist Party over the organs of state or the Chinese population.

                              taiwan_girlT Offline
                              taiwan_girlT Offline
                              taiwan_girl
                              wrote on last edited by
                              #18

                              @renauda Great post, but I would say that mainland china is not communist and is in fact, moved away from communism under Chairman Deng and has move more towards something like fascist.

                              RainmanR RenaudaR 2 Replies Last reply
                              • taiwan_girlT taiwan_girl

                                @renauda Great post, but I would say that mainland china is not communist and is in fact, moved away from communism under Chairman Deng and has move more towards something like fascist.

                                RainmanR Offline
                                RainmanR Offline
                                Rainman
                                wrote on last edited by
                                #19

                                @taiwan_girl said in China crushes democracy:

                                @renauda Great post, but I would say that mainland china is not communist and is in fact, moved away from communism under Chairman Deng and has move more towards something like fascist.

                                If I am jailed and executed, does it matter if it was a communist government instead of a fascist? Rightwing socialist or, leftwing communist, dead is dead.
                                The very poor in mainland China, would they go "whoppie!!" if someone explained to them that the country was now more fascist and moving away from communism?

                                I guess I'm having a knee-jerk reaction to TG's post. As Renauda points out, the missing ingredient in communism is always the, "well, if the entire world were communist, then it would work."

                                I need to check on Venezuela, see how happy the people are now, as the same thugs continue in power. Bus driver, painter, stogie and drinking a shot of Vodka throughout the day, there are and were leaders, and then Orange Man Bad because shut up and no discussion allowed, period.

                                Did Renauda mention that Stalin actually didn't drink? Maybe it was someone else. Imagine supporting stupid gosplan edicts sober.
                                "Increase Paper Production!" Yessir, we shipped 100 tons more.
                                Good comrades.

                                Truth was, the workers simply increased the weight of the individual pages and tadaa: compliance and a reward. They did the same thing with aluminum cans. Increased production by making thicker cans, since production was based upon weight.

                                And more stories at your favorite former soviet republic book stores, some in English. Stepping over frozed bodies in Siberia was a nice touch for the collective experience, I'm sure. Were the guards fascists or communists? OK now, I'm starting to rant, need to end. I wish to God we'd learn something, by studying the horrors of the 20th century instead of the beyond stupid, "but this time, it will work, because we're modern, progressive, blah blah nonsense." How many bodies next time.

                                PS - my mom's brother was allowed to live, while sentenced to 8 years in Siberia. All his Estonian male compatriots died, worked to death. The reason he was allowed to live, is he could perform higher maths, and was the only one that could calculate how much was being mined based upon what was bought to the surface. Then he did the Frederick Taylor dance, to increase production and save the butts of the overlords at the mine.

                                RenaudaR 1 Reply Last reply
                                • brendaB Offline
                                  brendaB Offline
                                  brenda
                                  wrote on last edited by
                                  #20

                                  Powerful post, Rainman. You are correct that the semantics don't matter, it's their end goal that matters, and how they are working to get there.

                                  1 Reply Last reply
                                  • taiwan_girlT taiwan_girl

                                    @renauda Great post, but I would say that mainland china is not communist and is in fact, moved away from communism under Chairman Deng and has move more towards something like fascist.

                                    RenaudaR Offline
                                    RenaudaR Offline
                                    Renauda
                                    wrote on last edited by Renauda
                                    #21

                                    @taiwan_girl said in China crushes democracy:

                                    @renauda ....I would say that mainland china is not communist and is in fact, moved away from communism under Chairman Deng and has move more towards something like fascist.

                                    That is not an uncommon argument for the PRC. I however remain in the camp that still maintains that it is still very much a communist state. The reason is essentially twofold.

                                    First, the country adheres to the Leninist model of a two tiered system in which the state apparatus is subordinated to the ruling Communist Party. The Party not only controls all levels of not only the state apparatus but also the private economy and society as a whole through a complex network of Party cells that oversee and ensures the supremacy of the Communist Party in all aspects of Chinese life. As well, the Party maintains a nomenklatura or list of Party officials that it, not the state, appoints as heads of state ministeries and enterprises, education and research institutions and members of Boards of Directors in the private sphere.

                                    Secondly, there is ideology. Chinese communists still believe in Marxism - Leninism. While it gives the Party its strength it is also its Achilles heel. Xi and his faction represent the middle road within the Party. There still remains a powerful faction on the far left of the party that wants to abolish private business and economic reforms and return to the orthodox Maoism of the early era. There is also a right wing faction which in addition to supporting the current economic liberalism wants to introduce Gorbachev style political reform as well. Xi and his cadres know that they must walk a fine ideological line to keep the country from falling back into the hell of Maoism or begin the dissolution of Communist Party supremacy through promoting a Gorbachev style agenda of political reform.

                                    In short while Marxism gives the PRC its ideology and world view, it is its adherence to the Leninist Party structure that enables it to liberalise economically while retaining and iron grip on political power and ideological supremacy. It thus remains very much an classic totalitarian communist state.

                                    Elbows up!

                                    1 Reply Last reply
                                    • George KG George K

                                      @renauda said in China crushes democracy:

                                      Yes, if my memory serves me right, you have never bought into the China democratization model. Frankly speaking, I don't think many ordinary folks gave it much thought, particularly supporters of the presidential candidate you supported.

                                      If my memory serves, the candidate that @Jolly supported called China out more than one time for being predatory and oppressive.

                                      Besides, that presidential candidate himself invested into China, just like the rest of his big bourgeois capitalist cronies. Business is, by its very nature, opportunistic.

                                      As @Rainman says, we know a lot about the investments of the Biden offspring into China.

                                      And here's where you post gets really, really good.

                                      They failed to see or more likely forgot, that communism is an all or nothing system. A communist system cannot survive in a politically pluralist environment. Big business in particular looked at the Chinese Communist system through rose coloured glasses and saw the mirage of democracy in the distance.

                                      The Chinese communists were and remain, very mindful of what happened in the Soviet Union and the Eastern European states when glasnost' and perestroika were introduced. The European Communist parties and their states imploded upon themselves. Not one was left in power. Owing to this, under no circumstances will Xi and the Party cadres allow any internal questioning of the political supremacy of the Communist Party over the organs of state or the Chinese population.

                                      RenaudaR Offline
                                      RenaudaR Offline
                                      Renauda
                                      wrote on last edited by Renauda
                                      #22

                                      @george-k said in China crushes democracy:

                                      As @Rainman says, we know a lot about the investments of the Biden offspring into China.

                                      Governments and corporations throughout the Western world have spent the last 40 years investing time, resources and capital into the PRC. It is futile to single out any one person or family for having business ties ad investments in the PRC. As I already pointed out we just assumed that Chinese economic reform would lead directly to political liberalisation. It it didn't and in fact, because if its economic success, in the past decade the PRC grew to become an aggressive player not only regionally, but also on the world stage. Biden too will have to look to a policy of containment of the PRC. He has no choice.

                                      Elbows up!

                                      taiwan_girlT 1 Reply Last reply
                                      • RenaudaR Renauda

                                        @george-k said in China crushes democracy:

                                        As @Rainman says, we know a lot about the investments of the Biden offspring into China.

                                        Governments and corporations throughout the Western world have spent the last 40 years investing time, resources and capital into the PRC. It is futile to single out any one person or family for having business ties ad investments in the PRC. As I already pointed out we just assumed that Chinese economic reform would lead directly to political liberalisation. It it didn't and in fact, because if its economic success, in the past decade the PRC grew to become an aggressive player not only regionally, but also on the world stage. Biden too will have to look to a policy of containment of the PRC. He has no choice.

                                        taiwan_girlT Offline
                                        taiwan_girlT Offline
                                        taiwan_girl
                                        wrote on last edited by
                                        #23

                                        @renauda Always enjoy your posts and learn something from them always! Thanks!

                                        Catseye3C 1 Reply Last reply
                                        • RainmanR Rainman

                                          @taiwan_girl said in China crushes democracy:

                                          @renauda Great post, but I would say that mainland china is not communist and is in fact, moved away from communism under Chairman Deng and has move more towards something like fascist.

                                          If I am jailed and executed, does it matter if it was a communist government instead of a fascist? Rightwing socialist or, leftwing communist, dead is dead.
                                          The very poor in mainland China, would they go "whoppie!!" if someone explained to them that the country was now more fascist and moving away from communism?

                                          I guess I'm having a knee-jerk reaction to TG's post. As Renauda points out, the missing ingredient in communism is always the, "well, if the entire world were communist, then it would work."

                                          I need to check on Venezuela, see how happy the people are now, as the same thugs continue in power. Bus driver, painter, stogie and drinking a shot of Vodka throughout the day, there are and were leaders, and then Orange Man Bad because shut up and no discussion allowed, period.

                                          Did Renauda mention that Stalin actually didn't drink? Maybe it was someone else. Imagine supporting stupid gosplan edicts sober.
                                          "Increase Paper Production!" Yessir, we shipped 100 tons more.
                                          Good comrades.

                                          Truth was, the workers simply increased the weight of the individual pages and tadaa: compliance and a reward. They did the same thing with aluminum cans. Increased production by making thicker cans, since production was based upon weight.

                                          And more stories at your favorite former soviet republic book stores, some in English. Stepping over frozed bodies in Siberia was a nice touch for the collective experience, I'm sure. Were the guards fascists or communists? OK now, I'm starting to rant, need to end. I wish to God we'd learn something, by studying the horrors of the 20th century instead of the beyond stupid, "but this time, it will work, because we're modern, progressive, blah blah nonsense." How many bodies next time.

                                          PS - my mom's brother was allowed to live, while sentenced to 8 years in Siberia. All his Estonian male compatriots died, worked to death. The reason he was allowed to live, is he could perform higher maths, and was the only one that could calculate how much was being mined based upon what was bought to the surface. Then he did the Frederick Taylor dance, to increase production and save the butts of the overlords at the mine.

                                          RenaudaR Offline
                                          RenaudaR Offline
                                          Renauda
                                          wrote on last edited by Renauda
                                          #24

                                          @rainman said in China crushes democracy:

                                          Did Renauda mention that Stalin actually didn't drink? Maybe it was someone else.

                                          No it definitely was not me. Being Georgian, Stalin enjoyed his wine, although he was by no means anything close to a drunk. His preferred wine was a semi sweet red called Kindzmarauli. He also apparently had a decent tenor singing voice - he obtained it as a child attending Orthodox seminary when he was studying for the priesthood.

                                          Elbows up!

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