Leadership Reshuffle

2012 is a year for change. People everywhere (literally) are expecting new leaders or another term of old ones. EU talks more about bail-out and possible breakups more than the political show, and Japan is swinging between finding an economic titan or a political hawk. The US takes the incoming election as a possible solution for current economic crisis. Romney attacked Obama furiously on the poor performance in the campaign, taking it as his lethal weapon against the incumbent. Obama kept implying that the economy had already gone bad during Bush's reign, and it could be worse under Romney's government. Presidential candidates debated on policy as well as attacked each other's personalities. Media busily interviewed and commented on the candidates, and updated polls one after the other. Profits were made, jobs were created and everyone was like having a party.

Leadership reshuffle is quite different in China, where things are processed quietly. The central government is trying their best to avoid stiring up the public in prevention of any unexpected situation. Since Bo Xilai was removed from his position and therefore lost the competitiveness for joining the CCP Central Politburo, power competition between other factions seemed even more opaque. Though even taxi drivers in Beijing seem to know the list of the next Central Politburo standing committee members, the public won't be informed of any personnel change or new policiy until Nov 8th, when the eighteenth congress of CCP representatives will be held.

People talk about the disadvantages of democracy - its inefficiency, nepotism with interest groups and the big waste of money on campaigns. I bet most of these critics haven't been to China or other dictatorship, otherwise they must be paid to say so. It turns out that if the money is spent on elections, it will be squandered in other ways - just think of the billions of dollars embezzled by government officials in China. It's too easy to put the public's money into one's own pocket in lack of transparency and responsibility. Also, in China, interests groups have no election to affect, but they find other ways of making policies in favor of them. And what's worse, the public won't even have a say during the process. People today praise China for its efficiency in building infrastructure and taking actions against climate change, etc, but seem to forget how efficient China was in impoverishing its people in 1950s and slaughtering its people in 1960-1970s. Ridiculous things can happen in a country who does not respect its people.

Obviously most of the 1.4 billion Chinese people won't have a say in the coming election, which is fully taken care of by a few old men. In sharp contrast to the media calling on people to vote, the media in China tries to keep the public away from hotspots. I sadly see my country leaders continue consolidating their dictatorship and reinforcing their alliance with economic giants, getting complacent by comparing China to countries like North Korea. The international community cares about China's economic growth slowing down and carbon emissions growing up, but what we should care more is that the true trouble lies much deeper in the bone.