The Dubious Narrative of Democracy of the Natural Allies Vs China’s Authoritarianism

USA America Riots                            

We are supposedly natural allies: the Biggest (Indian) and greatest (US) “democracies”, sharing the same values, it is claimed. People know and see how US has been fighting for democracy around the world, at great expense of US dollars waging wars and killing millions. It “sacrificed”  thousands of American men too in those expeditions, still going on. India too did it, say many in Srilanka, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal, Sikkim etc. They both also export democracy, even India, though they are ‘mistaken’ by many for hegemonism, global and regional. How Modi is celebrated as one of the greatest, all-time greatest leaders by foreign media has been a popular myth.

The knowledgeable can easily see through how foreign, mostly American and Western, media is almost the sole (also soul) source for anti-China venom the Indian media regularly indulges in. The moment foreign media writes anything critical about Modi’s India, they are damned by our nationalists and deshbhakts.

Certain classes  in India are fond of discussing the topic, India’s  Democracy Vs China’s Authoritarianism, as if both are unquestionable truths, in black and white. They find nothing grey. India’s Big Media sells this story regularly. Many in smaller and online media, with a few honorable exceptions like countercurrents.org, also indulge in anti-China venom regularly.

It is another matter that hundreds of sedition cases are framed against critics of the governments, more so the one in the Centre. They are languishing in prisons for years, denying them even bail, though top Courts said bail should be the rule, and incarceration an exception. Even the topmost Court denied bail to many renowned scholars, academics, writers, media persons etc. Even when top intellectuals-  like Nobel laureates, former judges and bureaucrats – made appeals, for their release or bail, they are mostly not heeded by the deaf rulers, as also the Courts.

China is currently busy preparing for celebrating the Centenary year of CPC. Its media carry plenty of stories around it. A chance finding is mentioned below.

China’s ruling communist party (CPC) has a well-organized website. It features many aspects about itself.

In the process it mentioned many articles critical of the CPC, and published the relevant links too, under the heading What Foreign Media Say on the Topic?

One can find the relevant feature, in chinatoday.com, see link below:  http://www.chinatoday.com/org/cpc/

What Foreign Media Say on the Topic?

http://www.chinatoday.com/org/cpc/

A few articles are listed here as a sample:

Great Party, but Where’s the Communism?

Kung fu propagandaThere’s a ton of easy money in praising the party.

China hauls away activists in congress crackdown;

Departing Chinese Leader Tries to Cement Legacy Opposing Reform;

From Toys to TV News, Jittery Beijing Clamps Down;

Why China’s  richest man is joining the communists;

Wen Jiabao’s 1.68bn family wealth: China furious at US expos by New York Times;

Hu warns Chinese Communist Party (details on BBC);

The princelings are coming –on a new generation of privileged political heirs, ( the Economist);   

China issues ethics rules for party -Frequently broken;..

‘Illicit benefits’ include vacations, karaoke (link to the Gazette)…

China’s party princelings fight for a chance to go back to the future; ..

It’s not if, but when, China owns the world..

 CNN Report on 16th Party Congress: “Jiang rules out democratic reform”; ..

World Tibet Network News: Hu Jintao…

The more detailed list, with links to relevant articles is as follows:

 

What Foreign Media Say on the Topic?
Jilted lover has final word as party man forced out (link to full story)

Xi Jinping gave his first speech as general secretary of the Communist Party,- A Promise to Tackle China’s Problems, but Few Hints of a Shift in Path (click for full story)

Departing Chinese Leader Tries to Cement Legacy Opposing Reform (full story)

China Communist Party Congress: Hu Jintao dismisses any hopes of reform – The Chinese Communist party began its once-in-a-decade handover of power by vowing that while its leaders are changing, there will be no change to its hardline policies. (full story)

China hauls away activists in congress crackdown (click link for full story)

From Toys to TV News, Jittery Beijing Clamps Down (click link for full story)

Wen Jiabao’s 1.68bn family wealth: China furious at US expos – New York Times website blocked after disclosing web of assets in new embarrassment for Communist party (click for full report)

Chinese Communist newspaper urges unity in Bo Xilai scandal (full article)

Why China’s  richest man is joining the communists  (link to full story)

Hu warns Chinese Communist Party (details on BBC)

Kung fu propaganda – There’s a ton of easy money in praising the party (details)

This Fourth, light a sparkler for China’s future – As China’s Communist Party celebrates its founding, it is stuck in an internal debate on whether to admit that values such as human rights are universal or merely Western. Aren’t all good ideas universal? (click for details on Christian Science Monitor)

Great Party, but Where’s the Communism? (click for details)

China Communists celebrate 90 years – Wearing matching baseball hats for easy identification, Chinese tour groups are an increasingly common sight. By Michael Bristow, BBC News (click for full report)

Reel China: Political maneuvers drive ‘Beginning of the Great Revival’s’ success – The epic about the Chinese Communist Party stars China’s most famous actors. Theaters have cleared room for it and companies are pushing employees to see it. (click for details on Los Angeles Times)

The princelings are coming – Next year’s changes in the leadership will bring on a new generation of privileged political heirs (click for details on the Economist,  June 23, 2011)

Red alert: China gears up to avoid Soviet-style collapse (click for details)

China Unrest — Instability Grows as China’s Citizens Yearn for Something the Communist Party Can’t Provide (click for details)

‘Red song’ campaign in China strikes some false notes – Before the Communist Party’s 90th birthday, people are singing in homage. The ‘red song’ campaign began in Chongqing, launched by an ambitious party figure. Some see shades of the Cultural Revolution. (link to source of this article)

China’s party princelings fight for a chance to go back to the future (click for details)

It’s not if, but when, China owns the world  – Business should be wary of the Communist Party’s role in the corporate culture, says Isabel Hilton. (click for details on the Sydney Morning Herald)

How to Understand China: Summer Reading – By Michael Levy. (details)

The party’s the problem By Paul Monk

China: When the party is over – By Benjamin A Shobert  (click for details)

China’s next leader? A look Xi Jinping’s rise – Vice President Xi Jinping was promoted Monday to vice chairman of the Central Military Commission, a key post seen as the penultimate step on the ladder to China’s top job in 2013. (Click for details on the Christian Science Monitor)

China’s Communist Party opens to media (click for details)

Communist Party of China’s gesture of ‘openness’ to the media (click for details)

China orders officials to declare marital status (click for details)

China issues ethics rules for party -Frequently broken; ‘Illicit benefits’ include vacations, karaoke (link to the Gazette)

60 years of Communist Party rule

China’s leaders give little away – By Kent Ewing

China’s Communist Party mulls new anti-graft rules – Party meeting may also give more power to President Hu’s apparent successor

China VP Set to Get Military Post in a Step to Top – China’s elite open conclave, with vice president set to get post on military commission

China Watched for Sign of New Leader

CNN Report on 16th Party Congress: “Jiang rules out democratic reform”

CNN looks back at the 80 years of rule by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), and reports on the nation’s economy and political climate.

Jiang Zemin – CNN In-Depth Specials CNN profiles the president of the People’s Republic of China who is also head of the military and general secretary of the Communist Party.

Early Years of the Chinese Communist Party Looks at the early years of the Communist Party in China and profiles the efforts of pioneer organizers Li Dazhao and Chen Duxiu.

Historical Documents from the Communist Party of China (CPC)

World Tibet Network News: Hu Jintao

Britannica: Zhou Enlai  – profile of the leading figure in the Chinese Communist Party and the premier and foreign minister of the People’s Republic of China.

Columbia Encyclopedia: Communist Party, in China

Statement of The Central Committee of The Chinese Communist Party, February 1, 1947  – from the Modern History Sourcebook

Modern China: The Chinese Communist Party

Communist

Is McCarthyism coming back in 21st Century?

Human rights in Kashmir is a well-known  red rag, where India protests even comments by US, despite India tailing USA on Israel. Tens of thousands of kashmiri civilians were killed as admitted by India’s Home Minister, Amit shah, in parliament.   Communists are hunted and harassed in the west, in particular in US, and India where thousands were bumped off in recent decades also, in encounters, as they are called. Top courts heard matters on what are alleged to be fake encounters. Thus  McCarthyism has come back even 21st Century.

(The writer was a media person…who contributed to countercurrents.org.)


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