by B. R. GOWANI
10,000 pigeons were subject to anal examinations before being released as part of China’s National Day celebrations – seen here in 2009 PHOTO/The Independent
Since the collapse of the USSR (now Russia) in 1991,”democracy” – as preached by the United States and followed, almost globally, by several countries – is the in thing, On the other hand, the countries not pursuing that kind of a democracy are under pressure, either internally and/or externally, to adopt that system. However, it is true that once the democratic system is adopted in the form of giving people a right to vote every few years, it becomes much easier for the ruling class to fool the people. The illusionary power, in the form of a vote, granted to the public allow politicians to do their work for the moneyed class with much ease.
The United States is a two party state and election rituals are religiously held every four years. With the help of big corporations, the Democratic Party or the Republican Party wins the election. Once the reign of the country is in the hands of the winning party, it carries out the agenda of big corporations. This makes the US a democracy, usually called the “greatest democracy.” The Peoples Republic of China, also known as Mainland China, is a single party state ruled by the Communist Party of China. Could we call China a half democracy? (Because the US has two parties and China has one.) It’s a bit twisted logic. But no, China cannot be considered a democracy for a couple of reasons: besides CPC there is no other party in China and it a does not hold elections. If China was to start holding elections, would it make that country a democracy? No, because there has to be some kind of opposition, even an official one, such as the one in Nawal al Saadawi’s “The Fall of the Imam,” or the democracy the US practices, of two parties with basically the same philosophy.
Hong Kong, a Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China, has been the scene of heavy demonstrations for the last few weeks as residents there have been demanding a direct election of their chief executive. In the Mainland, China’s Muslim Uighurs are not happy.
To suppress any dissent, the Chinese government goes to crazy length. Recently, it celebrated it’s National Day on October 1. But the security concern was so great that 10,000 pigeons, to be released as part of celebration, underwent anal checkup. Their legs and wings were also examined.
One wonders what the hell were the Chinese security people looking for in Pigeons’ anuses. Mao Zedong’s Little Red Book? Are they scared that the capitalist system being practiced in China will be threatened?
If they are then there is a suggestion. They should make two factions of the Communist Party and let each one of them rule for four, five, or six years. This facade of democracy will create an illusion of democracy and will allow both factions to control people more easily.
B. R. Gowani can be reached at brgowani@hotmail.com