The Washington Outsider

Xi’s China Bucks Democratization Trend due to Power Grab and Economic Illiberalization

2/28/2018

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​The Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party under the leadership of President Xi Jinping is steadily solidifying and consolidating state power into the hands of the sitting President.  Xi’s power grab is best illustrated by attempts to amend the Chinese Constitution in order to eliminate term-limits on the Presidency and remold Communist Party ideology with the addition of Xi’s own manifesto, “Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era,” to the Constitution.  Xi’s escalating efforts to seize power for himself has sparked a great deal of alarm while squashing hopes for a future China that is both liberal and democratic.  Xi’s moves are not, however, surprising.  They are completely predicable.  In the context of today’s apparent geopolitical trend away from democracy, they are just upsetting.
​Given the political uprisings and other events have happened in places like the Middle East over the last decades, it was easy to assume the world’s march toward democracy had become a certainty.  Watching authoritarian governments refuse to relinquish power as one fledgling democracy after another succumbed to political dysfunction, the chaos of civil unrest, and the threat of terrorism, it is easy to assume the democratization process has shifted into reserve.  Hosting the world’s largest nation, China’s political fate offers the greatest hope for establishing a truly global democratic world order, thus China’s political fate plays a significant role in the fate of all nations.  It is, of course, important to recognize the difference between the governmental democratization of a nation and the cultural democratization of a People.
 
Ultimately, the democratization of a society’s population matters far more than the democratization of a society’s government.  Even among the Peoples of democratic countries, there is a significant portion of these populations that do not truly believe in democracy or actually want true democratic governance, particularly when confronted with the need to compromise with opposing and dissenting views.  There is, therefore, always a question of how much a society has democratized and is democratizing, especially when it comes to a society ruled by an authoritarian government.  Living under a ill-democratic or undemocratic government tends to silence and test the endurance of even the most adamant proponents of democracy while mitigating circumstances, such as prolonged wars and economic woes, tend to sour the taste of freedom.  As such, the democratization of People is very hard to properly assess.
 
That said, there are many reasons governments buck the democratization trend, which go far beyond the democratic zeal of their populations.  In the Middle East, governments are embracing brutal crackdowns due to the threat democratization posses to their rule, but they are using the guise of security threats to justify their authoritarian ways.  The prospects of similar widespread political revolt poses the same threat to China’s Communist Party.  Continued prosperity, which the ensuing civil unrest would likely threaten if the  Community Party attempted to hold onto power, is simply Xi’s justification.  The government of Xi cannot dictate the end of China’s democratization, but it can discourage it by rooting out any and all perceived benefits of democracy.  
 
To sell democracy to China, the West tried to use economics.  If China embraced capitalism and prospered, China would somehow embrace democracy.  Today, China has continued to amass the economic benefits of international capitalism, yet Beijing is moving away from democracy.  It is why the foreign policy experts of the Cold War and post Cold War eras are so alarmed, as well as surprised, by President Xi’s power grab.  Recognizing the illiberal and ill-democratic nature of the US, however, Beijing’s refusal to embrace democracy makes sense.  The parallels between America’s ill-democratic tendencies and those of China are fairly straightforward when examining the concentration of power, but the illiberalization of China and democratic countries like the US requires an economic analysis to understand.
 
The US is a liberal democracy, because the US Constitution prioritizes individual rights above cultural rights and government authority while all individuals, without regard to their socioeconomic status, are supposed to have the same legal rights, i.e. civil liberties.  Clashes between individual rights and cultural rights occur when a community is forced to accept the expression of someone’s individual identity, yet that expression is prohibited by the defining characteristics of a cultural identity, which is why any democracies in the strict religious Muslim world will likely be illiberal.  Although the US was founded as a liberal democracy, it has continued to liberalize, e.g. the Civil Rights Movements. 
 
Economic liberalization describes decreasing government interference in the economy and the opening of an economy to foreign investments and goods, yet illiberal policies can hinder so-called free market economies by undermining the interests of the majority.  All societies eventually fail when they neglect the critical interests of significant populations and powerful individuals.  The strength of democracy is its potential to provide all the Peoples of a nation representation, so the interests of the weak can be balanced with the strong.  In many respects, democracy is about establishing limits.  The limitations imposed by democratic governments help ensure all citizens enjoy the same protections.  In doing so, individuals are given a large degree of freedom to act without undermining the freedoms of others. 
 
In contrast, dictatorships ensure absolute freedom for those strong enough to impose their rule; whereas, democracy harnesses the strength of the community.  Where anarchy is the natural state of the human animal that provides absolute freedom to the point there is no government to protect the interests of anyone and “might-makes-right” becomes the law of the land, democracy balances the interests of citizens, so all can enjoy freedom and dictatorship cannot seize control.  In a democracy, limits on the authority of government afford individual protections from the harms of oppressive, self-serving government.  Limits on individual behavior protect people from the actions of other people.  By placing limits on businesses, workers, consumers, and communities are protected from business decisions that cause harm. 
 
With that in mind, liberal nations, such as democracies, are also commonwealths.  Where the king claims ownership overall all the wealth of his kingdom in a monarchy, the People, as a collective, own the wealth of their nation in a democracy.  For the capitalist, the ability to earn a higher socioeconomic standing and profit from the investment of one’s work (labor capital), innovative thinking (intellectual capital), and/or financial capital is the most efficient manner to distribute national wealth and provide for the needs of the People.  In theory, individuals are able to derive greater benefits from the commonwealth when their contributions have a greater impact.  On the other hand, commonwealths are not just about earning a big piece of the pie.  The right and opportunity to earn from an economy comes with the price of social responsibility. 
 
Unless people “give back” to their communities, their communities cannot derive a sustainable benefit from the economic activities of individuals.  Paying taxes to support government services, which help secure and stabilize an economy, is a part of this social responsibility.  Thanks to the economic liberalization of the world’s economies, however, wealthy individuals and businesses are economically incentivized to avoid social responsibility for reduced costs and additional opportunities in foreign lands.  In a world defined by immense economic disparity, great pockets of inescapable poverty, decreased opportunities for average people, and increased costs, economic liberalization is seen as a means of enriching the already rich. 
 
The over "liberalization" of international trade has undercut the ability of governments to tax, regulate, and protect their national economies, thus neutralizing the leverage governments had once extended to their Peoples.  Accelerated globalization has also exposed workers to oppressive competition that undercuts their opportunities.  In contrast, the wealthy are shedding their tax burdens and finding greater opportunities across the globe that allow them to avoid the downturns of local economies.  A healthy economy, as a balanced part of a healthy society, depends upon the financial health of the masses.  Unfortunately, the illiberalization of the world’s economies is undermining this need.  Economic illiberalizaiton is also the reason why a capitalist China did not yield a democratic China.
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      • The Reason We Need to Understand What it is to Be Poor in America
      • Why the World Needs to Reinvest in America
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        • Responding to the "Blip"
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      • Is Engaging Parents in Their Children's Education a Major Factor in Turning Around Low-performing Schools?
      • Should Grants Be Awarded to School Districts that Try Innovative Methods to Improve Student Achievement?
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        • Corporate America Pleads the First
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        • Are We Losing Our Second Amendment Rights
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      • Should Smoking Be Allowed in Public Places?
      • Is Teen Driving a Right or a Privilege?
      • Should US Companies Be Required to Provide Equal Pay to Women and Men?
      • Is eighteen too young to vote?
      • First Amendment Rights: The Priviledge of The Press
      • Do Mandatory Seat Belt Laws Violate Individual Rights?
      • Should cell phone use be banned while driving?
      • Dealing with the link between video game violence and children's behavior
      • Should police have to submit to routine drug and alcohol testing?
      • Public schools should not impose mandatory drug testing on students
      • Are High Taxes on Cigarettes Proper?
      • Should pharmacists be required to violate their religious beliefs and dispense the "Morning After Pill?"
      • Should school counselors uphold patient privacy or report students who become unstable?
  • For the record
    • Ongoing Issues >
      • Red Dawn in Ukraine: Understanding the Actions of Russia >
        • On Russia’s Coercion of Ukraine
        • The Russian Annexation of Crimea in the Eyes of the World
        • Putin Has Overplayed His Hand With Crimea
        • Ukraine in Terms of Resovereignization
        • Avoiding a Conflict Between America and Russia Over Ukraine
        • What Drives the World’s Interest in Russia’s Actions in Ukraine
      • China’s Aggressive Pursuit of Interests Demands a Global Response
      • Iran Makes a Deal: A Start to a Long-term Diplomatic Effort to Denuclearize Iran >
        • On the Future of a Nuclear Negotiations with Iran
      • America's Sphere of Influence: Retaking South-East Asia >
        • Power in Asia: Looking at the Power Shift in Japan
        • The China Paradox: Why America is Worried About China
      • Assessing US Support of Israel >
        • Tread Softly Israel for a Heavy Step May Be Your Undoing
      • Understanding the Dysfunctional Nature of the US-Pakistani Relationship
      • Recognizing the True Threat Behind the Current Unrest in the Middle East >
        • Reacting to the Escalating Crackdown in Syria
      • Assessing the Threat of North Korea >
        • Answering North Korea's Call for Food Aid: Breaking the Vicious Cycle Forced Upon Us by a Warring Nation
        • Dealing with the Restarting of the Korean War
        • North Korea Attacks South Korea
      • Dealing with the Ill-effects of Climate Change
      • Racial Inequality and Oppression Do Truly Exist in Today's Society
      • Should energy independence be a high priority in the US?
      • An overview of world wide Human Rights violations
      • Nuclear Threat from Pakistan
      • Return of The Cold War?
    • World >
      • Coverage of FIFA World Cup is a Chance to Focus on Poverty >
        • The FIFA World Cup Offers Benefits for More Than Brazilian Soccer Fans
        • FIFA Can Bring Brazilians Together as a Nation
      • Being Prepared for Any Potential Dangers at the FIFA World Cup Games
      • Treading Softly on the Politicizing of the 2014 Sochi Olympics Over Gay Rights
      • Why NATO Operations in Libya Lack a Well-defined Mission
      • China Hijacks the Web
      • Lessons from the Great Japanese Earthquake of 2011
      • A Modernizing Cuba Offers an Opportunity for Capitalists
      • The Seeds of Democracy Take Root in the Middle East
      • The Rebirth of Democracy in Tunisia
      • What May Come from the Hurt Revolution in Libya
      • Responding to the Violence of Qaddafi and Other Besieged Leaders
      • Embracing the Rise of a Democratic Egypt
      • Protests in Afghanistan Turn Deadly for Coalition Forces and UN Personnel
      • Haiti: Another Failing Humanitarian Investment
      • What Karzai Can Learn from Calderon
      • START II: A Necessary, Easy Success that Nearly Failed
      • Why Does the U.S. Government Support Independence for the Breakaway Serb Territory of Kosovo but Oppose Independence for the Breakaway Georgian Territories of Abkhazia and South Ossetia?
      • Iraq's Electric Issues: When Human Wants Trump Economic Sense
      • The International Community Reacts to Wikileaks: We May Be Moving Toward a Third World War in Cyberspace
      • On Climate Gate
      • Assessing Obama's Afghanistan War strategy
      • 2009 Iranian Presidential Election: The Fallout
      • Resolving Sri Lankan Conflict through Free Media
      • What are the Global Consequences of Russia's Invasion of Georgia
      • The War in Iraq: an assessment of President Bush's surge strategy
      • Drug War: Actions of Venezuela, Columbia, Ecuador in terms of Resovereignization
      • Is the Iraq Refugee Crisis America's Responsibility?
      • US support for a united Kosovo, Abkhazia, and South Ossetia: why?
      • Should the US withdraw from Iraq?
      • Setting a Timetable for Troop Withdrawal from Iraq is a Terrible Mistake
      • War on Terrorism is needed
    • Law and Order >
      • Rape in the US Military
      • Ethics of Force-feeding Guantanamo Bay Detainees
      • Reacting to the Aftermath of the Tucson Massacre
    • Economy >
      • Affordability Drives Fear of Obamacare and the Individual Mandate
      • Is the Economy Built for a Job's Recovery?
      • Gutting Healthcare Reform of the Individual Mandate
      • Arizona Budget Cuts Lead to Lethal Healthcare Rationing:
      • Shameful Collection Practices of American Banks
      • The Fed Reveals it Actually Undertook an International Bailout
      • Thoughts on French Budgetary Reforms
      • Seniors Start Businesses
      • The Case for Slimming Down the US Military to Make it Better
      • Looking at the Obama Administration's New Approach to Economic Policy
      • Should the Government Regulate the Credit Card Industry?
      • The Big Three's Big Chance
      • The Unhealthy Tone of the Healthcare Reform Debate
      • Should the federal government offer a bailout for home owners?
      • Environmentalists: Do They Do More Good Than More Harm?
      • Responding to Scott Walker's Contribution to the War on Unions
    • US Government >
      • America Needs to Focus on the Impending Fiscal Crisis
      • Reacting to the Bush Era-tax Cut Extension Deal
      • Quitting the Obama Revolution: The Fickle Nature of American Politics
      • John Boehner's Circus
      • Is the Fed Putting Itself in Jeopardy?
      • Wikileaks Goes After the US State Department
      • Discussing the Political Environment Surrounding the 2011 Budget Debate
      • What the Democrats Can Do to Ensure a GOP Year in 2012
      • What the 2010 Midterm Actually Said
      • Congresswoman Kathy Dahlkemper
      • Democrats Minus Nancy Pelosi Equals Opportunity
      • Terrorists Go Postal: The Terrorism Threat Reexamined
      • Victory in the 2008 Election: Reaction to Barack Obama'a Win >
        • Expectations for Barack Obama
      • President Obama's first one hundred days
      • John McCain's Negative Campaign
      • Reasons People did not Elect John Mccain
      • History judges the George W. Bush Administration
      • Should the next US President focus on domestic issues?
      • President Bush, should he resign or be impeached
      • Should the Ban on Government Sponsored Assassinations be Repealed
    • Off Topic >
      • A Face of America’s Greatest Generation
      • A Story About a Man Who Made the World a Better Place
      • Making the World a Better Place
      • The Bipolar Ethical Nature of Google
      • Learning Computer Plays Jeopardy
      • Verifying Medicine is the Real Thing
      • Taking a Practical Step Forward in Optical Computing Using Slow Light
      • Scientists Take a Closer Look at How Lithium Batteries Work
      • Remarking on the First Blizzard of the 2010-2011 Winter Season
      • Driving in the Snow: Acceleration is the Key
      • How People in Northwest PA Are Coping with the Increasing Cost of Oil
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