Social stability spells well-being for commonality
Li Hongmei
What is a real democracy? It is nothing but a system which arouses in
its people a common feeling of security and content. And what is in the
most need of ordinary people? It is none other than a peaceful and
stable environment in which they can pursue their business unperturbed.
In times of peace, people tend to forget cherishing what they have
actually possessed, and reflecting on what they are missing at the very
moment. But once their quiet and possibly banal life is broken all of a
sudden by the outburst of deadly violence or bloodletting riots,
shuddering in panic, the helpless commoners will either flee the havoc
and find shelter wherever they can for a safe stay, or struggle fiercely
to stand up for their life and property, apparently the only alternative
to fleeing for life.
However, neither does good to ordinary people, as they both are
negative choices to be made at the expense of life and livelihood.
Therefore, the greatest blessing interpreted by the public is the
undisturbed continuing of their simple but happy life. Even if life for
them could be a perpetual struggle against poverty, the common Davids
will never like it to be dislocated and destroyed by any force.
That can partially explain why it was beyond some Westerners when a
report, released July 4 by New Economics Foundation, a British think
tank, ranked the poverty-stricken Vietnam number one in Asia with the
highest Happiness Index, considering its low per capita GDP with less
than US$ 1,000, backward infrastructure facilities and substandard
public education level, and more important, insufficient democracy
accessible to the Vietnam public, judging by the Western standards. How
could Vietnam turn out to be a happy nation? They may wonder.
Customarily, some Western Governments and media use the level of
democracy as the sole yardstick to assess whether a nation is agreeable
enough to accommodate its people. In view of this, they roughly divide
the world into two distinct blocs-one composed of so-called democratic
countries, the other made up of authoritarian regimes, covering all
those excluded by the Western standards from the democratic bloc.
In so doing, they have virtually neglected the important facts that
standards of democracy could vary according to different national
conditions and cultures; and people’s expectation for democracy is
decided by their actual living conditions.
To many of the developing countries and regions, the core essence of
democracy is the immediate undertaking to stay away from war and
turbulences for better economy and feed its people.
Perhaps, a rather fascinating study of how democracy is faring in
East Asia, published late last year, deserves a closer look, especially
at this time of global economic recession, when socialist countries like
China and Vietnam are doing relatively well after turning to market
economy, but Governments in the capitalist countries are busy taking
over banks and other private enterprises to reverse the worsening
downtrend.
The study was later published by Columbia University Press as a book
entitled How East Asians View Democracy, in which the data on China are
considered most interesting to the Western readers and perhaps far
beyond their understanding. It was revealed that the Chinese people are
more supportive of their government than people in any other country.
In answer to the question, ‘Do you agree or disagree: Our form of
government is the best for us?’ 94.4 percent of respondents in China
answered ‘Yes,’ compared to only 24.3 percent in Japan. When asked if
they were satisfied with the way democracy was working in their country,
a substantial majority of Chinese-81.7 percent-again answered ‘Yes,’
while South Korea was seen a low of 36 percent.
Indeed, the understanding of democracy may be different from people
to people, and nation to nation. But the findings also ring an alarm to
those who like to impose upon others their accepted values and ideas, or
force others to believe what they believe is right or wrong.
Like any other people, the Chinese remain their uniqueness in culture
and traditional values and also have their own understanding of freedom
and democracy, ‘If you feel happy, you are happy,’ as a popular saying
goes.
The Chinese people of all ethnicities are savoring the most
satisfactory moment in decades as a result of a booming economy and a
stable political environment.
They are bent on creating more wealth and happiness at the time and,
therefore, will value more than ever a prosperous and harmonious
society, with nary others’ meddling. Courtesy: People’s Daily Online
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