Chinese Transformation Essay, Research Paper

Gradualism is naturally the most feasible approach to any situation. Since the

fall of the iron curtain, these two Communist power houses have chose to move

towards democracy. China has chosen to take the natural, more gradual approach

to democracy where as Russia has chosen the fast-paced, more dangerous approach.

These two nations have chosen to change their economies from a collectivized

command one to a market oriented one in order to increase the ezdard of living

in their countries. As we have seen in recent years, China is booming and

becoming more and more successful, while Russia seems like it is regressing back

to parochial ways. It is impossible to compare anything but Russia and China’s

approaches to change, and the results that incurred. The two nations have vastly

different economies and to compare one economy to another would be illogical.

China and Russia’s approach to change are vastly different, almost like night

and day. China’s political and economic policy has always been to do things

gradually. Whereas Russia believed in going through the necessary changes

quickly, so that the hardship would in turn pass just as quickly. In the

implementation of their policies, we have seen that China’s approach has led to

a 29% of growth in their industrial field. But in comparison, Russia only

yielded 15% with their approach. But one must keep in mind that China has more

industrial sectors than does Russia, so their job in improving industry is

notably easier than Russia’s feat in developing an industry. Politically, the

two nations have the same policies that they held in their economies. China

believes in gradually letting the people have more access to political freedom.

And again, Russia’s policy has been to flood them all at once with these new

found freedoms. Unfortunately Russia’s policy hasn’t been the most naturally

feasible approach again. Their people have been suddenly bombarded with all of

these new found freedoms they have never experience before. They are like little

children let loose in a candy store. There are all of these new things available

to them, and most of the younger generation wants too try everything at once.

All of these citizens experimenting with their new freedoms are creating

political chaos. The Russian citizens don’t have time to savor their new

freedoms and are just trying to grab them from left and right. For they are

probably afraid that if they don’t take their freedoms quickly, they will leave

as quickly as they came. On the other hand, China refuses to allow their

citizens run the nation. Instead they are continuing to shun democracy. They

refuse to have democratic elections, pro-democracy demonstrations, and still

censor the press. They are still trying to maintain that wall that separates

them from the rest of the world. From a democratic aspect, China’s approach is

appalling. China is refusing basic democratic rights that the Western nation

citizens take for granted. China is under the misconception that they can give

it’s people little crumbs of freedom and keep them from wanting more. China’s

leaders think that they can keep controlling that many people for an

undetermined amount of time, they don’t realize that once the people know about

a better life, nothing can stop them from pursuing that life also. So looking at

Russia and China’s political policies, it is safe to say that what is good for

the economy may not necessarily be good for the people. When looking at

evolution and physiology, one will also notice that changes naturally happen

gradually. Over time, living organisms change and evolve, but the key ingredient

is time. Sometimes changes take place over thousands of millions of years, as

intended by nature. But when examining a change in nature that occurred

spontaneously or quickly, one will notice that the change was usually a fluke,

or a by-product of the interferences by mankind. China has taken the natural

path, and has gradually succeeded in the short time span that it has be on the

market-oriented path. On the other hand, Russia, who chose to take a fast-paced

approach is suffering and has not succeeded in changing. Personally, I believe

that the Russian people will try to revert back to communism, but will be

stopped, either by force or by will. They people will become so fed up with the

hardship they endure and the conezt longing for when life was better under the

red guard, that they will tr to start a revolt to go back to communism. But

their attempts to go back will be defeated by either force (like Tienamin

Square) or by will. The Russian economy will continue to slowly improve for

about 40 to 70 years until they have reached decent ezdard of living levels. And

after the improvement on the economy, they will realize that democracy will help

them, and that there will be an energetic burst to further pursue democracy. I

believe that China will continue to improve their industry and will attempt to

maintain an iron grip on their people, but will fail. The Chinese will revolt

against the suppression of their democratic rights and will try another revolt

to receive their rights. If the revolt is big enough, and not isolated to one

certain sector, but is dispersed nation-wide, then they will succeed. But if it

is only a small group, then they will fail.