LettersChinese democracy is good enough and Hong Kong should not want to copy the West

Name: Hong Kong ‘Lady Liberty’ protest statue goes on display
Uploaded: 2020-06-06T23:20:09.000Z
Duration: 2 min 2 s
Description: Hong Kong ‘Lady Liberty’ protest statue goes on display

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A protester waves the US national flag and a Hong Kong colonial flag during a demonstration against China’s national security legislation for Hong Kong, in Causeway Bay on May 24. Photo: AP

Letters

Published: 7:20am, 7 Jun 2020Updated: 7:20am, 7 Jun 2020

I would like to point out that there are two types of democracies in the world – Western electoral democracy and Chinese mass democracy. I know the Westerners prefer to believe that China’s dictatorship is not based on the people’s will, but I disagree entirely with this viewpoint.

I think democracy is not based on individualism or the ballot box. Democracy is based on majority rule and minority rights. It can be expressed collectively. China’s democracy is based on historical consensus and centralised authority.

In traditional China, the emperor ruled through the mandate of Heaven. This meant that he was responsible for serving his people. This formed the foundation of the Chinese mass democracy. It has deep roots in the past because the emperor saw himself as a servant of the people.

The Westerners might say democracy and dictatorship are exact opposites. I don’t think this is true. In 1949, Mao Zedong declared China’s independence, ending a century of foreign invasion and humiliation. The people stood right behind him and the Communist Party established itself as the premier power in the country. Three decades later, China launched its economic modernisation drive to industrialise and enrich the nation. Again, the people stood right behind the party.

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Hong Kong ‘Lady Liberty’ protest statue goes on display

The Hong Kong activists say China should be a Western electoral democracy. I see no reason for their position. Chinese mass democracy is fine.

Most likely the activists are unaware of Chinese history. This is partly due to an educational system that largely ignores the imperial past. It is also because they are steeped in everyday politics and care little about the past.