Treatmeant of workers in Socialist States

[SnowFire]

UR: Hmm? China's a big friend of ours in the war on terrorism. They've used it as an excuse to clamp down in their Western provinces with Muslim populations, right? Far worse than we've got it here, where I can assure you the most ridiculous accusations are thrown at Bush and our Intelligence offices without fear of goony men. Heck, look at Amira Baraka, New Jersey's poet laureate, who wrote his lovely little poem about it being a white guy/Israeli conspiracy to blow up the Twin Towers and continue to keep black men down. Our governor has had a very hard time removing him from his position (by the way, he's a really bad poet as well, which is probably a better justification for canning him).

[Sava]

Originally posted by Oerdin
The PRC calls itself a socialist state.

And I call myself God. It doesn't make it so.

But hey if you guys believe China is Socialism...

If you want to start a capitalist vs commie argument about the treatment of workers, let's talk about workers' rights before unions in America (a leftist, socialist concept). In the early 20th century, Trusts payed little wages, and forced men and children to work 16 hour shifts. Without social progressives, America wouldn't have it's middle class.

[Arrian]

On the contrary, comrade, we have more political freedom here than in the US.

Sure you do.

Pssst: BIN LADEN! OSAMA! AL QAEDA!

No trenchcoat goons sighted. I'll let you know, though.

-Arrian

[DinoDoc]

Originally posted by Urban Ranger
On the contrary, comrade, we have more political freedom here than in the US.

I'm constantly amazed at the things people say when I know they aren't trolling. I'm not even able to read that with a straight face.

[Zkribbler]

So...has anyone seen Arrian since he said, "Pssst: BIN LADEN! OSAMA! AL QAEDA!"

[DinoDoc]

They are coming for you now, Zkribbler.

[mindseye]

Interesting article, from what I've seen living here for two years, I don't doubt it. The author mentioned the limits of Beijing's control - this country seems far less monolithic than many assume. Regional and local Party officials, as well as other organizations, often have considerable power and independence.

have left China's impoverished countryside for jobs in the cities, where they are treated as second-class citizens

This is indeed a terrible problem. People from rural areas are viewed with thinly veiled contempt. In this part of the country, the very terms "countryside person", "farmer", and "villager" are all considered derogatory. At least peasant construction workers here in affluent Shanghai often live in relatively nice housing erected on site for them. Whether they fare any better than their southern colleagues in receiving their rightful pay is not known to me, although I have never seen or heard of any labor problems (or attempted suicides) here in Shanghai.

Sounds like anti-commie propaganda to me

Sounds perfectly believable to me, I'm very sorry to say.

Protesters carried a portrait of revolutionary leader Mao Zedong

The irony is too rich!

then I call it fascist.

I think it may have been The New Republic that carried an opinion piece a few months ago arguing this same point.

On the contrary, comrade, we have more political freedom here than in the US.

This must have been a joke, right?

At least, we can say bin Laden or al-Qaeda

Maybe you can say "bin Laden", but just try to visit the New York Times' web site. Both my home ISP and the one used at work have for a couple of weeks been blocking more western news sources than ever before, something I have not read about in the western press (maybe cuz I can’t see it! ). I'm down to Ananova.com and Yahoo news. Even the San Jose Mercury News is blocked, that's never happened before. Are sites blocked to HK access?

I wonder if China's going to do a full return to capitalism or if they're just letting the capitalists build the infrastructure, and then going back to state socialism.

When capitalists were allowed into the Communist Party, it was asked if the Party would control the capitalists or would the capitalists end up controlling the Party. I don’t think it's a matter of if, looks more like "when" to me. Power has a way of following money around here.

[Arrian]

So...has anyone seen Arrian since he said, "Pssst: BIN LADEN! OSAMA! AL QAEDA!"

Everything's a-ok. Wait a minute... who are those guys? What the f.. *transmission ends*



All is well. I must go now to brave the evil Mall and purchase a Valentine's Day gift for my gf. Blah.

-Arrian

[Imran Siddiqui]

When a State (such as China) acts to rapidly open itself up to free-market reform while retaining a dictatorial style of government, then I call it fascist.

Totalitarian /= Fascist. It requires more things than that.

Though China though may head that way... all it needs is iron handed rule by a single leader instead of a party to journey into the area.

[DuncanK]

Originally posted by Oerdin
The PRC calls itself a socialist state.

And If I call myself Bill Gates does that make it so?

[DuncanK]

Re: Re: Re: Treatmeant of workers in Socialist States

Originally posted by Shi Huangdi
Nice job showing your ignorance. The Washington Post is a left of center newspaper which repetedly endorses Democraitc candidates. It is also a highly respected source of journalism.

They still are against Socialism and you know it.

[DinoDoc]

I'm down to Ananova.com and Yahoo news. Even the San Jose Mercury News is blocked, that's never happened before.

Is the Great Firewall back up?

PS As an experiment for my own benefit try to access this site: http://www.clarionledger.com/

[DuncanK]

You anti-commies are missing something. I'm not saying that China has ever treated their workers very good, but the current trouble in China is caused by both the Communist Party in China and the use of the free market in China. The Communist Party is trying to get people out of the rural areas and into the cities as fast as they can, and in the process they are commiting a horrible crime against the poor there. And what is there weapon? It's capitalism you dumbies, not communism. HA!

Again just because China calls itself Socialist, it remains an objective fact that they are fascist.

[Bereta_Eder]

Socialism is what makes the EU so much superioir to the US

[monkspider]

Originally posted by paiktis22
Socialism is what makes the EU so much superioir to the US