Re: China: Mandate of heaven?

On Sun, 25 May 2008 08:03:35 +0800, BobLee1964 wrote
(in article 
<e9e3cf0d-b750-4339-a0df-53b57b78de76@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>):

> On May 22, 8:48 am, Jim Walsh <jimNOwalsSPA...@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:
>> On Thu, 22 May 2008 13:36:49 +0800, BobLee1964 wrote
>> (in article
>> <7f5279d3-dfc4-4e04-b1ed-49814a13d...@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>):
>>> Hong Kong is autocratic.
>> 
>> No, it is not. Autocratic countries do not permit free speech, free
press,
>> freedom of religion etc.
>> 
>> Autocratic countries do not permit substantial economic freedom.
> 
> Autorcratic only means that the ruler (theoretically) has the power
> exclusively. Hong Kong chief executive appoints judges, and is a lot
> more powerful than the legislature. His power is from the central
> government and a small group of elites, not from a popular election.
> And he has the exclusive power unrivaled to rule Hong Kong. Isn't Hong
> Kong an autocratic society? At least it is NOT nearly as democratic as
> Iraq.
> 
> Said that, it does not mean that autocratic society does not have
> substantial freedoms. It only means that the ruler has the power to
> curtail /  take away the freedom if he or she sees fit. Many parents
> are autocratic, but their kids still have freedom to pursuit some
> happiness.
> 
>>> For example, the most im****tant political
>>> move in Hong Kong for the last ten years is that the Chief Executive
>>> requested the central government to interpret the basic law and revert
>>> a decision by the Hong Kong supreme court. The move was made by the
>>> Chief Executive alone. Cheered by many though.
>> 
>> This decision is famous because it is a virtually unique example of CCP
>> interference with a Hong Kong court. In autocratic countries, nearly
every
>> court decision is made by the autocrat.
> 
> Don't be so ridiculous. No autocrat can make every court decison and
> is still expected to survive for more than a month. The workload will
> kill him or her.
> 
>>> Iraq is just one of the many screwed up democracies. It is a democracy
>>> because the government is popularly elected.
>> 
>> Do you really believe the Iraqi government is a democracy? One election
does
>> not make a democracy.
> 
> How many elections are required to become a democracy? Has Hati or
> Philippines have enough of them?
> 
>> BTW, George Bush says that Iraq is a democracy, but you don't believe
him, 
>> do
>> you?
> 
> I trust and verify. Iraq is a democracy.



-- 
Love, Jim
(I often delete parts of the previous post and I often remove excessive 
crossposts.)


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