{"id":284028,"date":"2010-02-05T20:28:09","date_gmt":"2010-02-06T01:28:09","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/globalvoicesonline.org\/?p=121494"},"modified":"2010-02-05T20:28:09","modified_gmt":"2010-02-06T01:28:09","slug":"westerners-need-self-reflection-before-criticizing-china","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mereja.media\/index\/284028","title":{"rendered":"Westerners need self-reflection before criticizing China"},"content":{"rendered":"

In an afterword to the 2006 edition of The End of History and the Last Man<\/a><\/em>, Francis Fukuyama depicted a possible scenario of world politics: the victory of an authoritarian type of capitalism over liberal democratic capitalist states. While this is not his preferred destination, it is moving in that direction.<\/p>\n

The West seems to be annoyed by a series of events: China\u2019s cyber attacks on Western computer networks, disputes with Google<\/a>, crackdowns on human rights activists<\/a>, execution of a British citizen<\/a>, and its unhelpful role ranging from the climate change talks<\/a> to Iran\u2019s nuclear program. The list goes on. Pundits point to the increasing threats posted by an increasingly self-confident China.<\/p>\n

But before going on criticizing China, let\u2019s view the matter from another angle: The West\u2019s response to China\u2019s economic reform and opening. It plays an important part in fuelling China\u2019s self-confidence, one of the key themes discussed in posts by Chinese scholar Zhu Xueqin<\/a> (\u6731\u5b66\u52e4) on BBC Chinese Web and Lu Di<\/a> (\u82a6\u7b1b) on Bullogger.com.<\/p>\n

China<\/strong>\u2019s great gamble<\/strong><\/p>\n

Deng Xiaoping, China\u2019s legendary reformist leader, once said, \u2018no matter black or white, it is a good cat as long as it can catch a mouse.\u2019 It is this pragmatism that underlies China\u2019s economic reform in 1978 after the disastrous decade of Cultural Revolution. China\u2019s embrace of capitalism, as Zhu Xueqin likens it, successfully turns itself into a cat that catches many mice, or Western capitalist democratic nations:<\/p>\n

\n

\u5c0f\u5e73\u6295\u6ce8\u7684\u662f\u732b\uff0c\u732b\u9f20\u8054\u59fb\uff0c\u88ab\u5403\u7684\u662f\u9f20\uff0c\u4e0d\u662f\u732b\u3002<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Xiaoping placed a bet on the cat. In the marriage between cat and mouse, the one being eaten is the mouse, not the cat.<\/p>\n

Even at the most dangerous moment of the gamble, the Tiananmen Incident of 1989, China\u2019s authoritarianism steered itself out of dangers, thanks to Western capitalists:<\/p>\n

\n

\u4e16\u7eaa\u8c6a\u8d4c\u6700\u5371\u9669\u7684\u65f6\u5019\uff0c\u662f1989\u81f31991\u90a3\u4e09\u5e74\u3002\u5766\u514b\u4e00\u4e0a\u8857\uff0c\u6240\u6709\u7684\u8001\u9f20\u90fd\u5413\u5f97\u5c41\u6eda\u5c3f\u6d41\uff0c\u5916\u8d44\u5927\u64a4\u9000\uff0c\u5185\u8d44\u4ea6\u4e0d\u7ee7\uff0cGDP\u76f4\u7ebf\u4e0b\u964d\uff0c\u4e2d\u56fd\u9762\u4e34\u5d29\u76d8\uff0c\u771f\u53ef\u80fd\u73a9\u5b8c\u3002\u5c0f\u5e73\u540c\u5fd7\u8dd1\u5230\u5357\u65b9\u753b\u4e00\u4e2a\u5708\uff0c\u8bf4\u4e00\u53e5\u201c\u4e0d\u95ee\u59d3\u793e\u59d3\u8d44\u201d\uff0c\u62db\u5546\u5f15\u8d44\uff0c\u6625\u96f7\u6eda\u6eda\u3002<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

The dangerous moment of the gamble is between 1989 and 1991. With tanks on the streets, all mice were scared. Foreign investments retreated, GDP nosedived, and China faced imminent collapse. Comrade Xiaoping, during his Southern Tour, said \u2018I don\u2019t care if it is socialism or capitalism.\u2019 With one strike, he reopened the floodgate for foreign investments again.<\/p>\n

\n

\u4e8f\u5f97\u5c0f\u5e73\u9ad8\u77bb\u8fdc\u77a9\uff0c\u8fd8\u80fd\u201c\u4e0d\u4e89\u8bba\u201d\uff0c\u5e26\u5934\u62db\u5546\u5f15\u8d44\uff0c\u5f15\u65e0\u6570\u8001\u9f20\u7ade\u6298\u8170\u3002\u8ba9\u4e00\u70b9\u5e02\u573a\uff0c\u6492\u51e0\u628a\u7c73\u7c92\u7b97\u5f97\u4e86\u4ec0\u4e48\uff1f\u8d44\u672c\u5bb6\uff0c\u8d44\u672c\u5bb6\uff0c\u6211\u5c31\u4e0d\u4fe1\u8d44\u672c\u5bb6\u6765\u4e86\uff0c\u8d44\u672c\u5bb6\u7684\u653f\u5e9c\u4e0d\u6765\uff01\u679c\u7136\uff0c\u897f\u6d0b\u5404\u56fd\u5bfb\u7c73\u800c\u6765\uff0c\u4e89\u62a2\u4e2d\u56fd\u8ba2\u5355\uff0c\u54ea\u4e00\u56fd\u603b\u7406\u8ba2\u5355\u8981\u5c11\u4e86\uff0c\u56de\u53bb\u8fd8\u6709\u53d7\u6c11\u4e3b\u8206\u8bba\u7684\u559d\u65a5\u3002\u7ecf\u6d4e\u5236\u88c1\u662f\u8fd9\u6837\u6253\u7834\u7684\uff0c\u653f\u6cbb\u5236\u88c1\u5219\u4e0d\u6d88\u8bf4\uff0c\u5f3a\u864f\u70df\u98de\u7070\u706d\uff0c1989\u653f\u6cbb\u5371\u673a\u5c31\u662f\u8fd9\u6837\u5ea6\u8fc7\u7684\u3002<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

With Deng\u2019s far-sightedness and welcoming of foreign capitals, the mice just could not resist. What tiny cost it is just to open up the market a bit! Capitalists, capitalists, I don\u2019t believe that once capitalists come to China, their governments would not follow! Indeed, Western countries come in one by one for Chinese contracts. What\u2019s more, those governments which secured too few contracts would be criticized by its own constituencies and media. The economic sanction was broken in this way, not to mention political isolation. The crisis of 1989 was resolved.<\/p>\n

Capitalism and universal values<\/strong><\/p>\n

Reflecting on Zhu\u2019s article, Lu Di is not so sure whether Western civilization could insist on the universal values of justice and freedom in face of China\u2019s capitalism:<\/p>\n

\n

\u5176\u5b9e\u5217\u5b81\u65e9\u5c31\u53d1\u73b0\u8fd9\u70b9\u4e86\u3002\u8fd8\u5728\u897f\u65b9\u6587\u660e\u4e16\u754c\u5c01\u9501\u82cf\u4fc4\u65f6\uff0c\u4ed6\u4fbf\u65ad\u8a00\uff0c\u752d\u770b\u5e1d\u56fd\u4e3b\u4e49\u8ddf\u54b1\u4eec\u8c8c\u4f3c\u52bf\u4e0d\u4e24\u7acb\uff0c\u8d2a\u5a6a\u662f\u8d44\u672c\u5bb6\u7684\u672c\u6027\uff0c\u56e0\u6b64\u4ed6\u4eec\u8fdf\u65e9\u8981\u6765\u548c\u6211\u4eec\u505a\u751f\u610f\uff0c\u5e2e\u52a9\u6211\u4eec\u628a\u56fd\u5bb6\u5f04\u5f97\u5f3a\u5927\u8d77\u6765\u3002\u8001\u9093\u4e4b\u6240\u4ee5\u5728\u4e2d\u56fd\u7fc5\u8180\u672a\u786c\u524d\uff0c\u4fbf\u6562\u5192\u5168\u4e16\u754c\u4e4b\u5927\u4e0d\u97ea\u8840\u6d17\u5317\u4eac\u57ce\uff0c\u4e5f\u65e0\u975e\u662f\u5403\u900f\u4e86\u897f\u65b9\u7684\u9053\u4e49\u9ad8\u8c03\u662f\u5047\u7684\uff0c\u518d\u201c\u4e49\u8584\u4e91\u5929\u201d\uff0c\u6700\u540e\u8fd8\u662f\u5f97\u4e3a\u94dc\u81ed\u5f2f\u8170\u94bb\u72d7\u6d1e\uff0c\u867d\u5219\u53ef\u80fd\u662f\u63a9\u7740\u9f3b\u3002<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Actually, Lenin discovered this long ago. When Western civilization was boycotting Soviet Union, he judged that greed was the nature of capitalists. Sooner or later, they would come and do business with Soviet Union. The reason that Deng decided to bloodily suppress the Tiananmen protest of 1989, at a time when China was weak, was that he saw the hypocrisy of the West. No matter how noble or just your cause is, you just could not resist but bend down for coins.<\/p>\n

He discussed his views on a number of recent cases:<\/p>\n

\n

\u8c37\u6b4c\u4e0e\u96c5\u864e\u7684\u533a\u522b\uff0c\u8bf4\u8d77\u6765\u4e5f\u5f88\u53ef\u601c\uff1a\u96c5\u864e\u5b8c\u5168\u63a5\u53d7\u540e\u9762\u8fd9\u4e00\u6761\uff0c\u751a\u81f3\u5411\u4e2d\u56fd\u653f\u5e9c\u63d0\u4f9b\u5f02\u8bae\u4eba\u58eb\u7684\u901a\u4fe1\u5185\u5bb9\uff0c\u5bfc\u81f4\u5e08\u6d9b\u88ab\u91cd\u5224\uff0c\u800c\u8c37\u6b4c\u672c\u5df2\u540c\u610f\u4e2d\u56fd\u653f\u5e9c\u6709\u6743\u7ba1\u5236\u8d44\u8baf\uff0c\u53ea\u662f\u5b9e\u5728\u96be\u4ee5\u540c\u610f\u4e2d\u56fd\u653f\u5e9c\u6709\u6743\u7aa5\u63a2\u516c\u6c11\u9690\u79c1\u3002\u533a\u522b\u4e5f\u5c31\u53ea\u5728\u8fd9\u70b9\u4e0a\u800c\u5df2\u3002\u5c31\u8fde\u8fd9\u6700\u540e\u7684\u5e95\u7ebf\uff0c\u8c37\u6b4c\u80fd\u5426\u6700\u540e\u5b88\u4f4f\uff0c\u4e5f\u8fd8\u5728\u672a\u5b9a\u4e4b\u5929\u3002<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Talking about Google and Yahoo, it\u2019s sad to note about their difference, which is tiny: Yahoo completely accepted [Chinese government\u2019s intrusion on privacy], and supplied communications information of dissidents, resulting in the heavy imprisonment of Shi Tao. Google had in principle accepted Chinese government\u2019s right to control information, and only did not accept intrusion on privacy. This is the only difference, and it is uncertain whether Google could keep to this bottomline.<\/p>\n

\n

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It is not difficult to see why the Chinese government dared to heavily imprison Liu Xiaobo: First, they knew that Westerners, for the sake of commercial interests, would control their reaction, at most mumbling a word or two. Economic sanction is a weapon the West no longer posses. Second, they knew that domestic elites would oppose to so-called \u2018universal values\u2019 out of their own interests. Therefore, no matter what the government does, there would not be strong backlashes.<\/p>\n

\n

\u8fd9\u8bf4\u660e\u4e86\u4ec0\u4e48\uff1f\u9053\u4e49\u5728\u91d1\u94b1\u9762\u524d\u7684\u8106\u5f31\u3002\u666e\u4e16\u4ef7\u503c\u89c2\u518d\u5d07\u9ad8\uff0c\u4e5f\u62b5\u6321\u4e0d\u4f4f\u94f6\u5f39\u653b\u52bf\u3002\u81ea\u7531\u4e16\u754c\u4e0d\u6015\u82cf\u8054\u7684\u6838\u5f39\uff0c\u4f46\u5728\u6211\u515a\u7684\u7cd6\u8863\u70ae\u5f39\u9762\u524d\u53ea\u80fd\u4e56\u4e56\u6295\u964d\u3002<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

What do these show? The weakness of justice in front of money. Universal values could not survive the \u2018money offensive\u2019, no matter how noble they are. The free world is not afraid of Soviet nuclear bombs, but has no choice but to surrender under China\u2019s sugar-coated bullets.<\/p>\n

Goodbye Google<\/strong><\/p>\n

Is the West\u2019s hope that engagement with China economically will lead to political reforms merely wishful thinking? Zhu quoted some philosophical reflections on the relationship between capitalism and authoritarianism:<\/p>\n

\n

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Market economy and modern constitutionalism do not necessarily have causal relations. The former is a necessary condition for the latter, but by no means a necessary and sufficient condition. In other words, without market economy, there is no modern constitutionalism. But market economy does not imply modern constitutionalism. Other conditions must exist.<\/p>\n

Zhu ended his article with a pessimistic note:<\/p>\n

\n

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The China Cat has transformed its DNA. Those which feed it are also those being eaten. The world now has a new species. Whether the mouse is within or outside it, they will all be eaten. Big mouse, Big mouse, this land does not suit you. Go back to America. Goodbye John Leighton Stuart, goodbye Google!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In an afterword to the 2006 edition of The End of History and the Last Man, Francis Fukuyama depicted a possible scenario of world politics: the victory of an authoritarian type of capitalism over liberal democratic capitalist states. While this is not his preferred destination, it is moving in that direction. The West seems to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5357,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-284028","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mereja.media\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/284028","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mereja.media\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mereja.media\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mereja.media\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5357"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mereja.media\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=284028"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/mereja.media\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/284028\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mereja.media\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=284028"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mereja.media\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=284028"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mereja.media\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=284028"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}