A (OK, The) commentor in my post below China vs. Japan made the remark that “I don’t know anyone who lives in China who seriously believes that the Chinese are ready for democracy.” That got me to thinking – when are a people “ready for democracy”? Is there something that can be done to get them ready?

Was Japan or South Korea ready for democracy when they became democracies? How about Taiwan? They aren’t so bad as democracies after some initial growing pains. 

Now a successful country isn’t built just on democracy (I prefer representative government) – the rule of law, private property, and free markets are probably even more important. But the four do seem to go hand in hand, and all four can be, let’s face it, somewhat difficult. The US is fortunate because we started with all four from our British heritage, but other countries that were once ruled by the British show that it’s a matter of culture, not race.

And I think, just from looking around at the history of nations, the best way to get ready for democracy (and the rule of law, free markets, and private property) is to experience it. Most nations start out shaky but improve over time. They indulge in trial and error and sometimes (like the Wiemar Republic giving way to Nazi Germany) things don’t work out so well. 

If you compare South Korea to North Korea, they were essentially identical in 1945. They were split based on a line of occupation, one side under the US and the other under the USSR. 60 years later, one is a basket case in every way, and the other has become a representative democracy. Not perfect by any means, but then there isn’t a perfect country. Taiwan and Japan have both come become much better at democracy in recent years. 

Just like so much in life, democracy is a process that requires practice to get any better at it. Now that may mean it’s best to phase it in stages, but ultimately “not ready yet” is a copout. If not now, then when? Because the sooner a nation starts the process of democracy, the sooner it will have a well functioning one.

Tags: China, democracy

The semi-confrontation between China and Japan is interesting (though at root very sad) for a number of reasons. One is the reversal in roles – where once China was an ally and Japan an enemy, now Japan is an ally and China a rival. So there is a temptation to dismiss China’s concerns. But the flashpoint – the sanitization of Japanese history in WW2 – is a real one. The Japanese did dispicable things, killed and enslaved on an epic scale, and are still disliked and mistrusted by other asians for it still. While it rankles national pride, the truth should be taught so it can be learned from. But nobody likes to be reminded of their mistakes, and such dislike is only compounded by traditional Japanese (and Chinese) views on honor, respect, etc. (normally rolled into “face”).

On the other hand, one wonders if Chinese history books teach the reality of Mao – the untold misery and death he and his cohorts brought to the Chinese people. He did far more harm to the Chinese than the Japanese ever did. Is that included in Chinese textbooks? Or how about Tibet? But that leads to another observation – people are far more forgiving of who they consider “the same” than those they consider “other”. (You can see this at work in Democratic and Republican partisans in this country who routinely howl and gnash their teeth at actions by the other they ignore in themselves). And both societies historically have been very nationalistic and xenophobic. 

And that leads to the idea that you can’t look to who’s hands are the dirtiest – you have to look at the particular instance and facts. Are Chinese right to be upset about Japanese rewriting history doesn’t really depend on how well China writes history, how well they’ve behave towards other nations, nor even how they currently treat their own citizens (which can be pretty awful). It depends on whether the Japanese can rewrite history to feel better about themselves.

The Chinese response also raises questions as to what is going on in China. First you have a regime that has no legitimacy beyond the fact they are already in power. It’s communist in name but while it’s politics are communist it’s economics are more capitalist (and mercantilist). It’s fearful of internal enemies, which is the only thing that can account for it’s dread and suppression of Falun Gong. And it’s fearful of it’s neighbors – none of whom are friends and allies (with the possible exception of Pakistan). India’s rise and increasing warmth with the US only ads to the to the fear. Given that, you wonder why the ruling elite has embarked upon policies of confrontation – with Japan, with Taiwan, and to a lesser extent the US.

Tags: China, democracy