People will always seek after their own best interest. I love to see developing countries succeed and grow. As I see China grow economically at a frenetic pace, I cheer them on from the side-lines. In my own experiences, the act of being a cheerleader sometimes blurs my vision. I am usually quick to jump to the defense of the Chinese government and their un-American way of doing some things. I usually prescribe to the two steps forward, one step back philosophy of progress. When people ask me what I think about all of the injustices of China’s social restrictions and lack of personal freedom, I sometimes turn a blind-eye to individual rights and focus only on the good of the country as a whole. I believe in a balance between the two. (With a little more weight leaning towards individual freedoms.) This brings-up the main question from the article I found in the Jakarta Post today.
“Independence is a psychological issue. Liberty is a spiritual issue. It is the freedom to evolve without any intervention from anybody.”
“The urban Chinese in the mainland of China today are more prosperous than ever before. But are they free to evolve psychologically and spiritually? They are confronted with the state ideology of communism as the sole yardstick.”
Yes, the people of China are far better-off than they were 20 years ago. However, I would also say the people of China could be much better-off if their government worried about them, and not JUST their GDP.
How free does wearing Nike, driving Mercedes and playing golf make you if you have to trade religion, freedom of expression and a say in governement to get it? Governement wants you to think that psychological independance can be had without “actual” independance, but I am not so sure. I know a lot of educated people in China that, at least on the outside, seem to be okay with giving-up certain freedoms for economic growth and prosperity. But the more we talk about the loss of those freedoms, the more they seem to talk themselves out of the propaganda ingrained responses and share their real feelings. I can only imagine what the Chinese people who are currently along for the ride (as long as the economy is scorching, you can have our freedoms!) will say and do when China runs into it’s next inevitable mini-slump or mini recession.
Indonesia’s independence: An unfinished business
