China's President Wants Greater Internet Censorship; Worried About Middle East Uprisings
from the fear-the-internet dept
While some curmudgeons continue to insist that the internet has had nothing (nothing!) whatsoever to do with popular uprisings throughout the middle east, it certainly seems that various governments don't feel the same way. In nearly every case so far, the governments have sought to either crack down on the internet or figure out ways to use it to their advantage. And it appears that China is watching closely. We had already mentioned how the country blocked any mention of Egypt from various microblogging services, in the wake of the uprising there, and now President Hu Jintao is saying that China needs to clamp down on the internet even more. It's believed these new calls for tightening up the Great Firewall are in response to fears that folks in China may take note of the uprisings throughout the Middle East, and seek to copy them in China. 2011 is shaping up to be a very interesting year in terms of people's responses to tyranny.
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Filed Under: china, free speech, great firewall, uprisings
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But wait.... that is the mean in China today, which is as Plutocratist as the United States when things are honestly discussed.
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Plus China isn't communist at all anyway, they are 100% capitilist. I have no idea why they call themselves communist.
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But people, not being the same as machines - will not ever enjoy that.
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Democracy would not help them. They are doing fine the way they are.
It's typical Jingoism to presume that every country needs democracy. Plenty of countries would fall to pieces if they tried to adopt it. Look at Iraq for example.
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Iraq had democracy imposed from outside the country. There was no populous groundswell of support. Certainly some were happy to see the Coalition of the Willing arrive, but I'd hazard not most, and certainly not with the "buy-in" a populist uprising would instill.
One could also argue, quite easily in fact, that China's economic growth has more to do with a "shrinking" world, a surplus of labour, and a market and system that is opening by inches.
Simply stating China's economy has done well and therefore China as a country should keep doing what they're doing is overly simplistic.
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Proving that a lack of respect for international IP laws and having children work for pennies a day is the best way to drive your economy?
BUT.... PIRATES!!!
BUT.... THINK OF THE CHILDREN!!
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It's not fair to the Western creators or those who toil in sweatshops, but it is effective.
If I was in charge of China, I wouldn't change much.
I would do exactly what they are doing.
And on the subject of IP, they are making gestures towards IP enforcement (eg. their new piracy blacklist law is quite strict).
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That's the real sticking point: that they can get away with it because they have the populace under control whereas you and your cronies chaff at the freedoms Americans have - laws they hide behind and questions they make you answer.
You pretend to condemn them but it's just sour grapes.
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Imagine the US for a moment if the Republican's would actually allow the Democrats to govern, rather than spending years fighting about what cannot be fixed.
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It's not fair to the Western creators or those who toil in sweatshops, but it is effective.
So living under a dictatorship is good if China's economy is doing well, but disregarding IP law is bad for doing the same.
Nice to know you have your priorities straight there.
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Ripping off IP hurts Western creators.
Forcing sweat shop conditions hurts workers.
But they are still both good for the country in its current form and contribute to its competitiveness in the world market.
And they are improving in both areas as well as their wealth increases.
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Not fair? That you don't get to set the rules that the world competes in? Boo frickin hoo. Bring on the competition I say.
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Re: China Clampdown
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Re: Re: China Clampdown
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Let me correct your title
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US's President Wants Greater Internet Censorship; Worried About Middle East Uprisings
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Umm, no
Likely they could give a crap about what is happening in the middle east if it doesn't spread to China.
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Ignorance is Bliss
People revolt because they've had enough, they just need an excuse and to organize. The internet has provided this, but more so a window of comparison.
China is doomed, as has been every other human revolution on earth through out history. Secular or other wise, these deluded visions of UTOPIA NEVER eventuate and people wake up one day and smell the roses on the other side of the world.
Did the French revolution work? How about the Russian?
How about any you care to name?
China's wealth exists in smoke and mirrors. 5 Years ago the average Chinese made just over 3.5k per annum. Now its just over the 5K P/A. WOW!
Like that should be admired, even Apple's greedy lot couldn't look themselves in the mirror when they realize child labor was being used in their plants.
Any country that suppresses people beliefs and pushes the atheist agenda by replacing it with a UTOPIAN dream needs to be reviled.
The world has forgotten this is a COMMUNIST REGIME!
WHY? $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
It's so easy to see what the west has replaced their GOD with.
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Re: Ignorance is Bliss
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Re: Ignorance is Bliss
How about any you care to name?
How about the glorious revolution of 1688?
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Re: Ignorance is Bliss
How about any you care to name?
The American revolution?
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Re: Ignorance is Bliss
How about any you care to name?
The industrial revolution!
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people in the Middle east rebel because of repressive government.
china: we need more repression to keep people from rebelling
makes perfect sense to me
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Democracy Is All Very Well ...
Where is the CIA in all this? They know what they should be doing; why aren’t they doing it?
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Re: Democracy Is All Very Well ...
I mean, it's well documented from declassified info how the US has tried to prevent middle-eastern, and latin-american, nations from achieving democracy. The US has no problem backing dictators and tyrants in slaughtering their own people when it benefits their agenda. They have a long history of doing so and the people in those countries see the US actions as terrorism (which it is btw). However a dictator has the nation in his grasp through force and violence and the US likes that as it's useful and much easier to handle.
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Are you serious?
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Internet Crackdowns
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China...
Example:
Lucifer (aka Satan), is one of the most beutiful beings ever created.
Unfortunately looks are deceiving.
So it is with China. They may look good from the outside but it's still the same old totalitarian, Stalinist mentality. All shiny on the outside but corroded and corrupted inside.
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Re: China...
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Re: China...
A REAL example might work better. Referring to Sauron, Lucifer, Megatron or other fictional bad guys undermines any point you're trying to make.
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Re: Re: China...
Ignore the man behind the curtain? Yeah, Satan likes that.
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Fear will keep these systems in line!
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I bought one the other day and love it! It works in ANY country!
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