Comments on: Is Censorship a Trade Barrier?

By: Solveig

Solveig — Mon, 25 Jun 2007 20:04:41 +0000

Apparently our commenter above doesn’t get irony. And also confuses an interest in developments in China such as the opening of markets, support for property rights, and the interest of Chinese people in entrepreneurship with sympathy for policies of the Chinese government. And isn’t quite understanding the risk that the whole system–reforms and all–is going to collapse, resulting in horrible chaos in which potentially a billion people could die. And furthermore mistakes mild concern for the –somewhat lesser– vulnerability of India into some sort of anti-Indian conspiracy. I think someone needs a new lens. For his own sake. Because if one sees a bunch of free-marketers with a history of serious attention to free speech issues as supporters of “fascism” –not communism, apparently–, well, now that’s gotta be depressing.

By: Solveig

Solveig — Mon, 25 Jun 2007 19:04:41 +0000

By: eee_eff

eee_eff — Sat, 23 Jun 2007 18:26:22 +0000

But good luck to our trade negotiators in getting China or other repressive governments to loosen their grip over information!

It should be clear to anyone that cares about freedom that the Chinese model is a real threat to everyone, everywhere. Their model consists of:

1. freedom of action for corporations, and

2. a corresponding lack of freedom for individuals, including religious persecution, forced abortions, suppression of the press and lack of voting rights

Notice, though how frequently there are articles over at IPCentral praising China, and often discrediting India. It's because the corporate power advocates iin America see China as a role model, and they wish to emulate the "success" of the Chinese model in America.

So, either we export freedom to China or China will export its repressive policies to America.

For those who think, BTW, that China is somehow different, and democracy wouldn't wrk there, I would refer to Amartya Sen's book Development as Freedom, in which he thoroughly discredits that argument.

By: enigma_foundry

enigma_foundry — Sat, 23 Jun 2007 17:26:22 +0000

But good luck to our trade negotiators in getting China or other repressive governments to loosen their grip over information!

It should be clear to anyone that cares about freedom that the Chinese model is a real threat to everyone, everywhere. Their model consists of:

1. freedom of action for corporations, and

2. a corresponding lack of freedom for individuals, including religious persecution, forced abortions, suppression of the press and lack of voting rights

Notice, though how frequently there are articles over at IPCentral praising China, and often discrediting India. It’s because the corporate power advocates iin America see China as a role model, and they wish to emulate the “success” of the Chinese model in America.

So, either we export freedom to China or China will export its repressive policies to America.

For those who think, BTW, that China is somehow different, and democracy wouldn’t wrk there, I would refer to Amartya Sen’s book Development as Freedom, in which he thoroughly discredits that argument.