Political Economy: The Challenge of Communist China

 

POLITICAL ECONOMY: THE CHALLENGE OF COMMUNIST CHINA

The video is some years old but still relevant:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pxs6rLIIBPQ

—TED, “Is China a Model for Emerging Economies?” YouTube video, 16:23 minutes, May 3, 2015

I like the video very much in the aspects of rationality and reasonableness, besides persuasion.

Dambisa Moyo presents an argument, to put it reductively, wherein the end justifies the means, so that her ethics is pragmatic and utilitarian. In this respect, her approach is gravely deficient. 

No doubt Communist China is advancing a competing model of political economy wherein money talks and the proof of the pudding is in the eating. As the heirs of a deep, robust ethical tradition rooted in the Christian synthesis of the West, our response to Communist China’s appalling dehumanization of the individual, the inversion of the Communist state that elevates the society over the individual person, should be to unreservedly denounce this totalitarian system, which repels and sickens. The totalitarian regime of Communist China is a meat grinder, the meat loaf being the chauvinist, imperialist state.

Are we to justify the seductive end over ungodly means and thereby collaborate in the dehumanization of the world?

Moyo is correct in this respect—it is impossible to entirely repudiate the political economy model of Communist China. Yes, we recognize its merits and achievements. However, we cannot condone its appalling excesses and abhorrent inhumanity.

I agree with her concluding recommendation—by all means, Cooperate to Compete. However, I would add two more C’s to her close: Criticize and Condemn.