He is also a professor of politics and director of the center for chinese government innovations at at peking university. We argue that traction on these issues is best obtained by focusing. Democracy is a good thing joseph fewsmith over the past several months there has been a vigorous discussion about democracy in china. The seminar examines this debate while delving into china more deeply to consider those variables that challenge the regime. Pause for thought before we plug in to digital britain. In other words democracy is a system which gives power to each and every citizen to actively participate in the government of the country. Interview with leanne brown, author of good and cheap. Accountability is a popular idea, though for political scientists it can sometimes.
Another frequently cited argument against democracy in china relates to the importance of the family. The iraq war is the most important thing going on in the world and in this country right now. The first volume of the series, democracy is a good thing, introduced the works of the political theorist yu keping. It is the touchstone of this important volume of the same name. In addition, you will undoubtedly feel that the course does not cover specific topics that you feel should be covered. Empire by niall ferguson in niall fergusons new book, the british empire was a good thing for everybody and the american empire now being born. Keping is the author of democracy is a good thing brookings institution press, 2009. Development and limitations, china leadership monitor, winter 2010, at 49. The urban democracy lab spoke with leanne to discuss her thoughts on food justice, snap, and the future of good and cheap. Globalization and changes in chinas governance brill. Essays on politics, society, and culture in contemporary china the thornton center chinese thinkers series keping, yu, li, cheng, thornton, john l. The importance of democracy lies in the fact, that currently there are 123 democratic nations in a world of 192 countries. Democracy is a good thing democracy is not perfect, but the system with the fewest flaws.
Democracy is a good thing pulls back the curtain to reveal ongoing discourse in chinese political and intellectual circles, discussions that will go a long way toward determining the future of the. Yu keping and good governance approach yu keping is the leading contributor to the chinese discussions on good governance. In addition to his academic work he has also acted as an advisor on political reforms to the chinese government. For a fullscale defense of intraparty democracy from an insider, see yu keping, democracy is a good thing. That important essay appears here, along with several of yu keping s other influential works on. Whoever wins the forthcoming general election, we are about to be ushered into. Politics, like all of life, is about individuals, each motivated to do what is good for them, not what is good for others. Reiss professor of constitutional law, new york university school of law. Simply put, for those officials who care more about their own interests, democracy is not only not a good thing. But its only keeping up, its not the same as doing systematic. Essays on politics, society, and culture in contemporary china by yu keping brookings institution press, 2008, 240 pp.
It is worth noting that such an outcome is perfectly in keeping with fortnas results. Grassroots democracy, which directly relates to the political interests of the public masses, is the foundation of democracy more generally, and its significance is obvious. Interviews the presss role as a watchdog on government. View pdf flyer about biographical note yu keping, ph. Religious leadership, civil discourse and democracy in the public square about us the religious leadership and civic engagement project aims to harness the power of university students, religious leaders and their congregations across the united states and the world to rejuvenate commitment to civic dialogue, civic engagement, and democracy. Democracy is a goo d thing created a stir internationally. Bureau and head of the center for chinese government. Young chinese people may just not be that into western. Good question, and its really easily answered now in the middle of the iraq war. In the modern world, democracy has developed from the american and french revolutions. The present book collects the forceful ideas of my fellow tsinghua university faculty member hu angang, whose influence on chinese thinking in the. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. This is true not only for individuals or certain officials but also for the entire nation and for all the people of china.
Young chinese people may just not be that into westernstyle democracy. Democracy is good for everyone, but there are quite a few countries that have been cobbled together artificially, or are far too big and can only be ruled dictatorially in their present form. Democracy is the best form of government debatewise. Thornton, cheng li published by brookings institution press keping, yu, et al. Consequently, people of a traditionalist chinese perspective tend to believe that the collective good of the people is underrepresented in a democracy, which instead reflects majoritarianism. Religious leadership, civil discourse and democracy in the. He is a noted scholar having produced many noted books including the widely noted democracy is a good thing. While this may appear at odds with the idea that democracies punish leaders who lose. As one of chinas foremost political thinkers and a leading proponent of democratizing the peoples republic.
The politics of china the chinese state and the policy process an examination of various actors involved in the chinese political structure and policy making at. He has published extensively on political philosophy and chinas political reform. The answer to the question is democracy a good thing is, i think, an ethical society is a good thing and to the extent that democracy fosters that it is a good thing too but to the extent that it does not it is not. Essays on politics, society, and culture in contemporary china thornton center chinese thinkers thornton center on. Democracy is a good thing in late december, yu keping, deputy director of the central compilation and translation bureau and head of the center for chinese government innovations at beijing university, published an article, democracy is a good thing, in the paper of the central party school. Yu keping, made a splash with his essay democracy is a good thing. This, in turn, does not bode well for democratic reforms. Democracy is a good thing, and this is not just for speci. China in the 21st century maxwell school of citizenship. So begins yu keping s seminal essay that is the inspiration for the title of this compilation of his most important essays. Democracy is a goo d thing, and this is not just for specific persons or certain officials. Yu keping s democracy is a good thing by detailing the effects of globalization on chinas governance and by providing a critical overview of the current capacities of chinas public sectors and of the challenges posed by globalization.
Top 10 reasons why democracy is best for any country. Bandurski 2012 provides an english translation for the following excerpt. The pdf is available for free on and has been downloaded more then 900,000 times. Essays on politics, society, and culture in contemporary china china 2020. So begins democracy is a good thing, an essay of great influence that has commanded attention and provoked discussion throughout the world. Democracy and collective decision making oxford academic. Chinas road towards democratic governance ash center. That important essay appears here, along with several of yu keping s other influential works on politics, culture, and civil society. Democracy is a good thing created a stir internationally. Rather, they believe that the many challenges facing the regime makes it fragile. Class attendance and participation, as well as improvement over the semester, will be taken into account in determining the final grade. Democracy is a government by the people, for the people and of the people. In late december, yu keping, deputy director of the central compilation and translation. This is true not only for individuals or certain officials but also for the entire nation and for all the people of china simply put, for those officials who care more about their own interests than about the national interest, democracy is not a good thing.
Essays on politics, society and culture in contemporary china. I expect that students will participate in class discussions with civility and respect toward others viewpoints. The way our schools and businesses are run, how we travel and make a living, even how we see ourselves it all depends on political decisions. In greek demos means the community and kratos means sovereign power i. Some chinese scholars argue that neoauthoritarianism is a necessary stage as china transits from a traditional autocracy to liberal democracy. Some of this discussion has been undertaken by wellconnected, policyoriented intellectuals, while other parts of the discussion have been conducted by liberal intellectuals who appear to have little policy impact. Yu keping so begins democracy is a good thing, an essay of great influence that has commanded attention and provoked discussion throughout the world. This is true not only for individuals or certain officials, but also for the entire nation and for all of the people of china. Chapter 1 democracy is a good thing and chapter 3 the 17th party congress and the agenda for chinas political reform. Taylor and others published yu keping, democracy is a good thing. In addition, he serves as professor and director of the china center for comparative politics and economics in beijing. The central thing i learned was that reformism was a rational strategy for workers.
Also countries should encourage participation by teaching children about civics and politics from an early age to increse enthusiasm. Perhaps more important, however, is the heated debate it spurred within china on the desirability of democratic reform. A call for minor reform, not radical change scott kennedy. A tripartite assessment of shifting power in china volume 211 cheng li.