Chinese Transformation Essay, Research Paper
Gradualism is naturally the most feasible approach to any situation. Since the
fall of the iron curtain, these two Communist power houses have chose to move
towards democracy. China has chosen to take the natural, more gradual approach
to democracy where as Russia has chosen the fast-paced, more dangerous approach.
These two nations have chosen to change their economies from a collectivized
command one to a market oriented one in order to increase the ezdard of living
in their countries. As we have seen in recent years, China is booming and
becoming more and more successful, while Russia seems like it is regressing back
to parochial ways. It is impossible to compare anything but Russia and China’s
approaches to change, and the results that incurred. The two nations have vastly
different economies and to compare one economy to another would be illogical.
China and Russia’s approach to change are vastly different, almost like night
and day. China’s political and economic policy has always been to do things
gradually. Whereas Russia believed in going through the necessary changes
quickly, so that the hardship would in turn pass just as quickly. In the
implementation of their policies, we have seen that China’s approach has led to
a 29% of growth in their industrial field. But in comparison, Russia only
yielded 15% with their approach. But one must keep in mind that China has more
industrial sectors than does Russia, so their job in improving industry is
notably easier than Russia’s feat in developing an industry. Politically, the
two nations have the same policies that they held in their economies. China
believes in gradually letting the people have more access to political freedom.
And again, Russia’s policy has been to flood them all at once with these new
found freedoms. Unfortunately Russia’s policy hasn’t been the most naturally
feasible approach again. Their people have been suddenly bombarded with all of
these new found freedoms they have never experience before. They are like little
children let loose in a candy store. There are all of these new things available
to them, and most of the younger generation wants too try everything at once.
All of these citizens experimenting with their new freedoms are creating
political chaos. The Russian citizens don’t have time to savor their new
freedoms and are just trying to grab them from left and right. For they are
probably afraid that if they don’t take their freedoms quickly, they will leave
as quickly as they came. On the other hand, China refuses to allow their
citizens run the nation. Instead they are continuing to shun democracy. They
refuse to have democratic elections, pro-democracy demonstrations, and still
censor the press. They are still trying to maintain that wall that separates
them from the rest of the world. From a democratic aspect, China’s approach is
appalling. China is refusing basic democratic rights that the Western nation
citizens take for granted. China is under the misconception that they can give
it’s people little crumbs of freedom and keep them from wanting more. China’s
leaders think that they can keep controlling that many people for an
undetermined amount of time, they don’t realize that once the people know about
a better life, nothing can stop them from pursuing that life also. So looking at
Russia and China’s political policies, it is safe to say that what is good for
the economy may not necessarily be good for the people. When looking at
evolution and physiology, one will also notice that changes naturally happen
gradually. Over time, living organisms change and evolve, but the key ingredient
is time. Sometimes changes take place over thousands of millions of years, as
intended by nature. But when examining a change in nature that occurred
spontaneously or quickly, one will notice that the change was usually a fluke,
or a by-product of the interferences by mankind. China has taken the natural
path, and has gradually succeeded in the short time span that it has be on the
market-oriented path. On the other hand, Russia, who chose to take a fast-paced
approach is suffering and has not succeeded in changing. Personally, I believe
that the Russian people will try to revert back to communism, but will be
stopped, either by force or by will. They people will become so fed up with the
hardship they endure and the conezt longing for when life was better under the
red guard, that they will tr to start a revolt to go back to communism. But
their attempts to go back will be defeated by either force (like Tienamin
Square) or by will. The Russian economy will continue to slowly improve for
about 40 to 70 years until they have reached decent ezdard of living levels. And
after the improvement on the economy, they will realize that democracy will help
them, and that there will be an energetic burst to further pursue democracy. I
believe that China will continue to improve their industry and will attempt to
maintain an iron grip on their people, but will fail. The Chinese will revolt
against the suppression of their democratic rights and will try another revolt
to receive their rights. If the revolt is big enough, and not isolated to one
certain sector, but is dispersed nation-wide, then they will succeed. But if it
is only a small group, then they will fail.