Surely the end is coming closer for Chinese communism

I firmly believe that economic liberalisation leads to social change. And i believe the sweeping changes occurring in China will have this effect too. Capitalism brings with it many chnages for individuals. Elements such as private property, individual weath etc. Individuals become more selfish and protect what they have earned; community does become a second thought. It is this new selfish motive that will bring about the accelerated decline of the communist government in China. As individuals have their own property/own concerns to represent, there needs to be a channel for the concerns. Concerns that are channelled in the West through political parties and democratic expression. Surely these new desires for freedom that capitalsim brings will quicken change and leave the Communists a stubborn, but spent force.

Hu Jintao can already see a growth in dissent that surely coincides with greater prosperity and the divisions capitalsim brings. In 2004 there were 74,000 protest in China involving some 3.7m people. This is a sharp rise when it is considered that there were only 10,000 protests in 1994 involving a mere 58,000 people. There is now a much greater desire for social freedoms to accompany economic freedoms. As a columnist in The Economist stated, 'The party's dilemma is that much of the unrest is a product of the rapid economic growth that it is so keen to maintain'. As economic liberalisation proceeds unabated so will the strength of political protest and this is sure to eventualy destabilise the communist regime and exact democratic concessions.

The key issue for the Communists should not be holding on to an iron grasp of power, but opening up China democratically so as to position itself strongly in any democratic elections. After all people will remember that it was them (depsite huma rights abuses, past poverty) that have orchestrated this prosperity. This would guarantee them a continued place in Chinese politics.

However, this is all mere speculation. Democracy in China before 2020 anybody?

: 14 Oct 2005 12:55 |  Comments (1) |  Report a problem