Originally Posted by
Policenaut
Isn't the main reason for this boom the consolidation of people? They are moving out of the rural areas into large urban cities. Could this not have some future bearing on how the government of China will work? More people will have more money (and possibly influence) and may want more freedoms.
Actually, this is exactly what is happening. And it is why I stressed the importance of internal pressures, as opposed to external pressures. As of five years ago, the Chinese Communist Party officially changed their charter to allow "capitalists" to join the Party...with the result that a number of quite staunch capitalists are now technically members of the Party, and have a say in government. (Not sure how you can still call yourself a Communist Party with a policy like that)
My meaning is not that the rest of the world should ignore the problems or abuses in China; but that if they feel it is important enough to comment on and criticize China about, then it is also important enough for them to educate themselves first. Not just about the abuses, but about the positive changes. Not just to see the label "Communist" and denounce it as all evil, but to recognize the good things the CCP has done (including one of the fastest increases in literacy rates of any country in the world, massive funding of education to improve both access and quality, and promoting women's rights to the point where in 60 years women have gone from being third-class citizens to having among the highest levels of equality of any Asian nation).