Asian studies, China and globalization - Essay Example

China and Globalization China and Globalization Worldwide incorporation arising due to the interchanging of products, ideas, views and others features of culture is known as globalization. Advances in telecommunication and transportation infrastructures, which include internet, mobile phones, and airplanes are the major aspects of globalization. These aspects generate interdependence of cultural and economic activities. Globalization has produced the worldwide view (Deszczyński, 2011). For instance, in the modern world, most people through most parts of the world have similar tests. It is now possible to have different people from different parts of the world wearing suits, which in the past common only in the Europeans and the North Americans society. Therefore, globalization has made the world a global village in many fields with communication being the major factor. It is now easy for people from different parts of the world to influence those from the other parts (Cazdyn & Szeman, 2011). This particular nature of globalization has led some people to claim that globalization would lead to democratization. However, in view of China, this paper argues adopts a hypothesis that globalization does not lead to democratization. It tries to show that people who support the view that globalization leads to democratization are wrong. Democratization Democratization is the evolution to a more democratic political system. It can be an evolution from an authoritarian system to a more democratic system or a transition from an authoritarian political regime to a semi-democratic system. It can also be a conversion from a semi-authoritarian system to a democratic political regime. States can integrate the result as in the United Kingdom. However, it can face reversal as in the case of Argentina. Democratization is influenced by factors like economic development, civil society, and history. The ideal consequent of democratization is the right to have a voice and vote in a political regime (Haerpfer, 2009). Globalization and Democracy Many scholars support the idea that the globalization threatens democratic states than it aids the expansion of democracy. Globalization undermines the crucial requirements of state patriotism, national identity, and autonomy. It has instead led to political globalization, which is a contradiction to democracy. Globalization is leading to the decline of state. Governments no longer have control over their trade, their borders, and their economy (Kurlantzick, 2013). In the past, states had maximum of their markets, capital, and exchange rates. Trans-national companies are now becoming imperative to any economy, making states obsolete. Globalization is reducing the power of state and democracy thus leading to hollow democracy. While globalization promotes opportunities for increase and growth of wealth, it has led to the increase of socio-economic inequality between people. It makes nations less democratic as it leads them to be ruled by wealthy multinationals. Governments now attempt and struggle for foreign capital. They thus create their policies to suit global firms and investors, who are not held accountable to or may not operate in the interest of voters. Therefore, states do not globalize democracy as their levels of democracy are lowered. The unlucky losers in the globalization battle tend to seek unity and support using their ethnicity, religion, or identities. This tendency encourages wealthy economic winners to sustain an advantage over the unlucky one, especially the poorer and as it reduce their competitiveness. These actions increase social inequality and weaken the progress of democracy. In the international community, globalization has widened the disparity between developing states from the south and developed nations from the north. For instance, in the United Nations, wealthy nations usually have the final say on important issues or conflicts. They sway the domestic politics of developing countries. A country with a functioning and a stable democracy has actively embedded the concept of participation and citizenship in its population. However, globalization transforms common citizens into individuals willing to pursue more their economic interest than pursue political concerns. Chinese are content with the public policy. Democracy in China Liang Qichao, an exiled Chinese writer, introduced the concept of democracy to China in the late 19th century. The question over its definition and form has marked Chinese politics for over a century. In 1895, during the late Qing Dynasty period, various protests, which Liang participated, were staged in Beijing. After evading the government’s crackdown and escaping to Japan, Liang translated the works of John Lock, David Hume, Jeremy Bentham, Thomas Hobbes, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau, and several other western political philosophers. Many Chinese read his essays. Liang supported gradual reforms and democratic constitutional monarchy. Dr. Sun Yat-Sen, Liang’s rival supported a republican revolutionary. Sun wanted the Qing monarchy removed. He supported democracy, nationalism, and people’s well-being and livelihood. Just like Liang, Sun agreed that democratization of China would be a process. Qing Imperial Court organized elections in 1907 in respond to the democracy calls. Republic of China in 1912 to 1949 The Republic of China was established on 1 January 1912 after the monarchy was overthrown following 1911 Revolution. Chinese held the first National elections in late 1912 where Sun’s Nationalist Party won most seats in the National Assembly. In March 1913, Song Jiaoren, the incoming Prime minister was assassinated. His assassination led to the failure of the revolution. Yuan Shikai, the provisional president, forced the National Assembly to choose him as the president for a period of five years. The National Assembly reconvened after the death of Yuan in 1916 but was dissolved in 1917 due to Zhang Xun’s coup attempt. President Xu Shichang planned assembly election in 1921 but failed, because there was no quorum as 11 provinces could only vote. The next national elections were not held until 1947. In 1927, a single-party state was created, which burned elections until people were considered educated (Rossabi, 2013). People’s Republic of China from 1949 Mao initially founded The People’s Republic of China on his idea of New Democracy. However, he soon established a people’s democratic dictatorship. In 1980s, during the era of Opening and Reform, the Chinese government prepared village elections (Yang, 2013). However, the government chose and approved the candidates. People in the upper position of the government were indirect elected, but the government vetted the candidates. This system of election is currently being used in China. The constitution outlawed opposition parties. Therefore, candidates from the United Front allies, Sympathetic independents, and Communist Party can only hold offices in the highest levels of government (Zhou, 2013). In 1989, student leaders of Chinese Democratic Movement demanded the democratization of China. Intellectual leaders like Fang Lizhi and Liu Xiaobo have called for equal participation in government. In December of 2008, over 350 cultural leaders and intellectuals, including Xiaobo produced the Charter 08. The charter called for political democracy. Globalization and Democracy in China In late 19th century and the early part of 20th century, China was a poor nation. There were few literate people. However, these few people were able to sell the concept of democracy, which led to the ousting of the monarchy. The western ideas of democracy influenced these few people into wanting to transform their nation. Globalization thus played a big role in the development of the concept of democracy. The availability of literatures from the West spread the idea of democracy. However, the struggle failed as the majority was not involved while those involved pursued selfish interests. In recent times, the activeness of citizens in the struggle has gone down. People in the early 20th century and late 19th century fought actively for democracy. Even though, there were some active movements in the 1980s, like the Chinese Democratic Movement, the active calls have gone down. In over one billion Chinese, a few individuals are involved actively in the fight for democracy. The reduction in the zeal is connected to globalization. In the past 25 years, the averaged economic growth in China has been 9.5 percent. The privatization and globalization of the Chinese market influence the economic growth. The government encouraged Chinese companies to target international markets. Again, it welcomed international companies from other nations. For instance, China, together with South Africa, Russia, Brazil, and Indian has formed a trading block. The existence of international companies in China reduced the powers of democratic nations to push for democratization of China. The democratic nations like the U.S and the European nations had to cooperate with the Chinese government so that companies from those nations could get fair chances in China. The democratic states and China thus focus on the global market. They globalized their political powers and not a democracy. In addition, the globalization of Chinese political powers led the government to focus more on the global market than on its domestic situation. Today, the Chinese government is focusing on acquiring new markets for Chinese products and services. Its focus is felt highly in Africa (Li, 2014). Globalization also led to high economic growth. As mentioned earlier, the economic growth in China has been about 9.5 percent in the last 25 years. Presently, China’s global trade is 6 percent but is expected to increase to 10% in the next decade. Privatizations, which increase job opportunities for Chinese influence the growth of the economy. Due to globalization, Chinese companies are competing with international companies. People are thus forced to focus on the globe and not on China alone. The economic situation leaves Chinese with less time to focus on the political situation in China. The existence of suitable policies for economic activities further gives Chinese a reason to avoid political confrontation with the government. Most recently, people in Hong Kong launched a demonstration to fight the policy that allowed the Beijing’s government to vet Hong Kong’s leaders as from 2018. Hong Kong is a region that has been administered democratically by China since 1997, when the United Kingdom handover the control of it to China. Since then, the region has been enjoying democracy. The demonstration lasted only for a week when people started leaving the streets. People left the streets because they wanted to go back to work. Therefore, globalization has led Chinese to be more concerned with the economic situation than with the political situation of the country. Conclusion Globalization has reduced the growth of democracy in China. Globalization has weakened democratic nations like the U.S and those from European. The existence of international companies has reduced the powers of these nations to push for democratization of China. Again, the focus of Chinese government on the global market has reduced its focus the domestic situation. Globalization has also led to high economic growth, which has led Chinese to be busy in their economic activities thus finding less time to focus on the political situation of the control. Therefore, people who hold the view that globalization would eventually lead to democratization are wrong. References Cazdyn, E. M., & Szeman, I. (2011). After Globalization. Malden, MA: Wiley-Blackwell. Deszczyński, P. (2011). Globalization. Poznań: Wydawnictwo Wyższej Szkoły Bankowej. Haerpfer, C. W. (2009). Democratization. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Kurlantzick, J. (2013). Democracy in retreat: The revolt of the middle class and the worldwide decline of representative government. New Haven: Yale University Press. Li, J. (2014). Reconstructing China: The peaceful development, economic growth, and international role of an emerging super power. New York: McGraw-Hill. Rossabi, M. (2013). A History of China. Hoboken: Wiley. Yang, K. (2013). Capitalists in communist China. Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire: Palgrave Macmillan. Zhou, Z. (2013). Liberal Rights and Political Culture: Envisioning Democracy in China. Hoboken: Taylor and Francis. Read More