Indeed, I do. China has an excellent democratic system that I fully approve of. This system is uniquely Chinese and works extremely well for the Chinese people. Read
China’s democracy does not hew to the Western liberal model. It is based on meritocracy within a one-party state. The system rests on age-old philosophy and an education system that promotes an obligation and responsibility to serve the people…all the people, not just a wealthy elite minority.
As it is based on meritocracy and not popularity, like it is in Western democracy, China doesn’t get incompetent leaders such as Donald Trump, Joe Biden, Justin Trudeau, Boris Johnson, Scott Morrison, Jair Bolsonaro, Tsai Ing-wen, etc.
With a competent and intelligent leadership, China’s government usually produces the best policies for the country. That’s why:
- China rose to become the world’s largest economy (by purchasing power parity) within a stunningly short 35 years, starting from total impoverishment!
- China rose without fighting a single war. No other major economy in history has risen so large, so quickly, and so peacefully.
- China eradicated absolute poverty in 2020, in the process elevating over 850 million people, according to the World Bank. China is directly responsible for over 75% of the world’s poverty alleviation.
- China built the world’s most spectacular infrastructure of roads, bridges, high-speed rail, airports, dams, ports, etc.
- China launched the most ambitious infrastructure project in history known as the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Over 149 countries have signed up.
- China is pursuing diplomacy all around the globe…in Africa and the Middle East, with the Taliban, in SE Asia, with Russia and Ukraine…instead of waging countless wars like the United States does, instead of sanctioning dozens of countries like the United States does.
- China protected its citizens from COVID-19 better than any other developed economy.
(From Worldometer, June 15, 2022.)
No wonder China’s government earns the highest marks in the world, according to the Edelman Trust Barometer (91%) and a study by Ash Center at Harvard Kennedy School (95.5%).
I’m not suggesting that the West could adopt China’s democratic model. Chinese culture and society are quite unique. Nevertheless, I enjoyed Fan Wennan’s musing…