Re:Made in China, Exported to the World: The Surveillance State
by mc32 on Wednesday April 24, 2019 @08:55AM
(#19737827)
Japan, Taiwan, Singapore, even Chile, would say otherwise. It doesn’t require a centuries long history of institutionalized representative government to foster wellbeing.
Re:Made in China, Exported to the World: The Surveillance State
by luckylion on Wednesday April 24, 2019 @10:52AM
(#19738912)
You seem to be focusing too much on a single part. My point is that democracy relies on multiple pillars, it's not just a concept that you explain and voila, it works, you need a mix of pre-requirement. If you have none or few of those, chances are you won't keep a democratic system even if installed.
Re:Made in China, Exported to the World: The Surveillance State
by 0815test on Wednesday April 24, 2019 @08:56AM
(#19737837)
What does a "highly functioning society" look like, in practice? I think you'll find that the answer basically involves widespread awareness (however achieved - e.g., via basic education) of liberal/bourgeois values. It's not rocket surgery! And yes, we don't do nearly as much as would be appropriate to educate people about these, even in the West.
Re:Made in China, Exported to the World: The Surveillance State
by luckylion on Wednesday April 24, 2019 @10:44AM
(#19738823)
To me it mostly involves stability, both politically and economically, centralized organization and institutions, and medium and long term predictability.
You're certainly right that it doesn't seem complicated on a meta level, but I don't believe that educating people is enough to jump start it. It takes trust in your neighbors, the processes, institutions and the system, and trust needs to be earned and developed.
More importantly, they are rather wealthy countries with a long history of highly functioning societies and political continuity where power was gradually transferred from royalty to citizenry (typically by force), usually somewhat collectivist (the US being the exception, but they're also not the safest), widespread higher education, without a strong emphasis on tribal kinship. You need a strong foundation to build a fragile house like a liberal democracy, it's not like Western Countries transcended from tribal societies in a constant state of war to modern democracies in a generation or two.