"Comparative Democracy And The History Of Women's Suffrage"
Although Eric Li's TED Talk (below) makes a strong case for "the responsive authoritarianism" at the heart of Chinese governance, he fails to address the relationship between widespread education -- not mere instruction! -- and the success of democratic government.
"Education And Instruction: Near Antipodes Cut Out For Cross-Fertilization"
http://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2014/10/education-and-instruction-near.html
I suspect Mr. Li has been biased by his success as a entrepreneur who benefits from China's heady business climate which calls to mind Uncle Sam's rapid economic advance during the heyday of 19th century Robber Barons.
Although China is currently duplicating the breakneck pace with which industrialization lifted large numbers of Americans out of abject poverty, I doubt authoritarian China -- once the current "great leap forward" runs out of steam -- will be able to deal with the persistent poverty afflicting a quarter (to a third) of the population whose prospects were permanently withered by entrepreneurs like Li who "got in on the ground floor" and "vacuumed" their way to The Top.
The "Chinese model" - propelled by Chinese culture's no-nonsense practicality - is temporarily buoyed by punch-drunk consumerism, a socio-economic model doomed by its vapid epistemological error: "The one who dies with the most toys wins."
The "Chinese model" - propelled by Chinese culture's no-nonsense practicality - is temporarily buoyed by punch-drunk consumerism, a socio-economic model doomed by its vapid epistemological error: "The one who dies with the most toys wins."
"The Death Of Epistemolgy"
***
Looking back on "the history of governance," we see that Plato did not idealize democracy. http://www.iep.utm.edu/platopol/
Excerpt: "The best form of government (as Plato) advances in the Republic, is a philosophical aristocracy or monarchy, (although) he proposes in his last dialogue --the Laws -- a traditional polity: the mixed or composite constitution that reconciles different partisan interests and includes aristocratic, oligarchic, and democratic elements."
Nor did Plato's student, Aristotle, idealize democracy.
Aristotle's View Of Democracy: "Rule By The Needy"
Given the difficulty of educating a citizenry whose collective wisdom might make democracy workable (without degenerating into "idiocracy" or "prejudicial populism"), Plato admires "philosophical aristocracy or monarchy," an aspiration which relies on simplified attempts to educate a single "philosopher king" (or a small group of "philosopher aristocrats"), thus circumventing the massive - and massively daunting -- task of educating "the masses."
Like most dyed-in-the-wool capitalists, Mr. Li believes in Capitalism with as much evangelical fervor as those ardent Communists and Democrats he criticizes in his TED talk.
Given the inevitability of "choosing a God" -- be it sex, drugs, food, rock-n-roll, money, power, prestige, violence, art, beauty, etc. -- I am enduringly suspicious of those who pretend homo sapiens can live without "gods."
The pretense of "atheism" is doubly dangerous since "the professedly godless" refuse to acknowledge a core condition of their own lives.
The pretense of "atheism" is doubly dangerous since "the professedly godless" refuse to acknowledge a core condition of their own lives.
No matter what "face" Mr. Li puts on China's "upgraded Beta version" of Cowboy Capitalism, his "religion" will eventually go "bump in the night" against two inevitable truths:
A Tale of Two Political Systems 李世默
TED Talks: A Tale of Two Political Systems (Chinese Sub)
李世默:两种制度的传说
Eric Li takes the platform at TED to explain China and comparing the two systems,
Demoracy and Communism. 李世默:两种制度的传说
It's a standard assumption in the West: As a society progresses, it eventually becomes
a capitalist, multi-party democracy. Right? Eric X. Li, a Chinese investor and political scientist,
begs to differ. In this provocative, boundary-pushing talk, he asks his audience to consider
that there's more than one way to run a successful modern nation.
A venture capitalist and political scientist, Eric X Li argues that the universality claim of Western
A venture capitalist and political scientist, Eric X Li argues that the universality claim of Western
democratic systems is going to be "morally challenged" by China
"American Plutocracy. Who's Punished And Who's Not"
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"Politics and Economics: The 101 Courses You Wish You Had"
"Pope Francis Links"
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