Professor John V Walsh, MD in SF: China’s success in the real world and America’s success at propaganda. 中國在現實世界的成功, 實事求是和美國在宣傳上的成功, 換言之美國吹水第一.
There is a key section in this article. It reads: “As officials often note, China has achieved more than four decades of rapid economic growth. More recently, it has contained the coronavirus outbreak that began in Wuhan, with fewer deaths throughout the pandemic than some countries have had in a single day.
“Skeptics reject the argument that such successes make China a democracy.
“They cite surveys like the one done by the University of Würzburg in Germany, which ranks countries based on variables like independence of the judiciary, freedom of the press and integrity of elections. The most recent put China near the bottom among 176 countries. Only Saudi Arabia, Yemen, North Korea and Eritrea rank lower. Denmark is first; the United States 36th.”
Notice the contrast. China is relying on deeds, successes.
The US relies on opinions, peddled by a media it dominates and shored up by past successes which were built on horrific exploitation (slavery and extermination of the indigenous population along with abysmal conditions for immigrant labor, Chinese and many, many others)
A big part of the problem is that China’s successes are not well known although in the first paragraph there is brief acknowledgement of them. The successes will dominate in the long run. China will have to continue to produce and the US is determined to prevent that and to destroy the fruits of the past successes.
The greatest success recently and one that should be the envy of the world is the victory over the pandemic. Given its life saving value for the world it should also be the object of examination and scrutiny. It is not except for the brief chaotic period in Wuhan typical of any outbreak. (Notice paragraph one mentions Wuhan specifically – no accident.
The presence of Israel to the D-summit says it all – a country that overtly and unapologetically practices Apartheid (to use the term that even Jimmy Carter used for it in the title of his excellent little book.)
As in the days of white-ruled South Africa which the US described as a democracy, Israel qualifies. What a joke.
p.s. China has the advantage of having most of the world’s media arrayed against it. So it must demonstrate genuine accomplishments. The US in contrast only has to blow smoke in our eyes. In the long run when the smoke clears, that will leave the US in a very bad state indeed.
Professor George Koo in SF: To paraphrase a joke about lawyers, a modified punchline is “Democracy is whatever you wish it to be.” By judicious selection and definition of the parameters to measure democracy, any country can qualify or not qualify as a democracy.
It’s also an honorific title to be bestowed to deserving nations. If you are aligned with Washington, you are ipso facto a democracy. If you are not so aligned, then you are a socialist country or even worse, a communist country. Being called a communist has nothing to do with ideology, just the worst profanity the U.S. can sling at another.
By self proclaiming as the champion of democracy despite its many flaws and terrible outcomes, the United States has erased whatever claim remaining in its name.
Johnson Choi Biz 