The Chinese Evolution

       While watching Fareed Zakaria interview Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff, something occurred to me:

       Neither Military Dictators nor Marxist Revolutionaries can provide a lasting, functioning government for a nation or a people.

       From Bolsheviks to the National Socialists to the Dictatorship of General Pinochet, my proposition holds.

       Lenin led Russia to 10 million exterminations. The French Revolution let to Robespierre, the Committee for Public Safety, and the guillotine.

There are some monumental exceptions to Slim’s Rules of Revolution.

I  America

       The American Revolution was, by and large, a revolution of the plutocrats who transformed the concept of government to one of Rule of the People, limited tenure in office extended only by the pro-active approval of the governed, and a socio-economic paradigm of personal initiative, individual effort, and self-control.

II  China

       The revolution that empowered the people with what started out as the imposition of a “Marxist’ or Maoist ideological system, transformed into a system that changed a nation into a nation that is embracing the free-market paradigm.  One that elevated 500 million people from poverty to the middle class.

III  India

       India evolved from a strict caste system to a tech-oriented society that places greater and greater value on the mental abilities of its people.  India embraced progress by capitalizing on the global tech revolution launched in the U.S.

       Again, Military Dictators and Marxist Revolutionaries have never succeeded in providing the true transformation of a nation except by their resounding and unequivocal failures.  

       And we are not limiting this examination to dictators, Military or Marxist.

       It was the failure of both the National Socialists and the Bolsheviks that transformed Germany, Russia, and Eastern Europe.

       When Japan lost WW II, Japan was transformed into a modern free-market democracy.  Economic success ensued.

Another way to look at the topic?

       America, Canada, India, and Australia flourished with the British transformation from The British Empire to The British Commonwealth to Independence in America and India.

Britain’s former colonies, for the most part, have thrived. Perhaps this can be traced to the Barons at Runnymede.

Back to China

       Do not pretend that Chinese leaders are unaware of Global History. China and the Chinese people are benefiting from their knowledge of history. The tech revolution, personal prosperity, and the elimination of caste have all played a role in China’s prosperity and growth.

Santayana:  “Those who forget history are doomed to repeat it.” ~ Santayana

Slim: “Those who remember history are able to repeat it.” ~ Slim Fairview

Slim: “Those who never learned history are doomed—period!” ~ Slim Fairview

Warmest regards,

Slim

slimviews@gmail.com

Copyright © 2015 Bob Asken.

All rights reserved.