China pulls ahead
For democracy to work for everyone’s benefit, everyone must be empowered. There can be no privileged class. – Mao Zedong.
Western Europe has 20 or 30 more years of democracy left in it; after that it will slide, engineless and rudderless, under the surrounding sea of dictatorship, and whether the dictation comes from a politburo or a junta will not make much difference. Chancellor Willy Brandt, 1974.
Warrior bands have chosen their leaders democratically since war became a thing. So proud were they of their one man, one vote process that they traveled thousands of miles to cast their ballots.
Yet not one imagined that he was living in a democracy.
Nor should we.
This is not democracy and never has been.
Conspicuous by its absence
Not one element of democracy – formal, elective, popular, procedural, operational or substantive – is functioning in most Western ‘democracies’. Formally, few constitutions require democratic government. The procedure of voting is under attack as are its its outcomes. Operationally, it serves the privileged few and not the democratic majority.
More importantly, their citizens know this very well:
Three governments – Switzerland’s, Singapore’s and China’s – stand out from the crowd.
The Swiss invest much time and energy maintaining their world-beating democracy, even voting on pedestrian crossings (but not neutrality, oddly). The average 37-year-old Zuricher has seen 548 referenda and voted in 246.
Singapore blends British parliamentarianism and Tang Confucian officialdom. Its first Prime Ministers topped their years at Cambridge University, the city-state indentures its child geniuses to government service and relies on outcome legitimacy: “We hold power because we consistently produce the best results for the most citizens”. Singapore’s citizens consistently agree, while the parliamentary opposition keeps the majority party honest.
Chinese Democracy
Democracy is yet another field in which Beijing is competing with Washington and, more generally, with the West. China’s aim may not be to convince others to adopt its political system per se, but it certainly appears intent on demonstrating that Chinese “democracy” is superior to what the West has to offer. Thomas des Garets Geddes and Daniel Crain.
China uses feedback. Lots of feedback. Mao was a feedback fanatic. Results from Gallup, Harvard, YouGov, Edelman and dozens of pollsters shape policies. 2,000 out of 3,000 (volunteer) Congresspeople must support a bill for it to become legislation, and garnering that support for major projects can take decades.
Yet, despite its tightfisted congress and gigantic size, China’s government is the most responsive on earth. Consider this:
Latana’s Democracy Perception Index 2022 shows that 83% of Chinese believe their country is democratic.
Edelman Trust Barometer 2023 shows that 89% of Chinese trust their government. Hint: it has never lied nor broken a promise.
Ash Center at Harvard Kennedy School 2020 found 95.5% of Chinese are satisfied with their government.
A 2019 UC San Diego study shows a high level of satisfaction among the Chinese across a range of aspects up to 95%.
A November 2019 Ipsos survey shows that 95% of Chinese believe their country is on the right track.
The Global Happiness 2023 survey from Ipsos shows that China is the happiest country in the world at 91%.
The heartbreaking truth
Swiss, Chinese, and Singaporean democracies are more successful because they’re more democratic. It’s that simple.
The central point of our research is that economic elites and organized business interests have substantial independent impacts on US government policy, while mass-based interest groups and average citizens have little or no independent influence. Martin Gilens and Benjamin I. Page
Notes:
Daniel Bell’s The China Model: Political Meritocracy and the Limits of Democracy and China’s New Confucianism: Politics and Everyday Life in a Changing Society.
A comprehensive explanation of China’s success: Why China Leads the World: Talent at the Top, Data in the Middle, Democracy at the Bottom, by me.
