Can Iranian Politics Be Useful to China?
Iran is presently holding a presidential campaign, in which the current president finds himself trailing in the polls. Recent accounts indicate that opprobrium between the two camps- those of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and his challenger Mir Hussein Moussavi- is high. The two men have been campaigning feverishly across the country, with one holding the support of Iran's large peasantry and the other favored by the country's urban elite.
Of course, the cynic in me must point out that the results of this election will ultimately bear little effect on Iranian policy. The country's Supreme Leader, Ali Khameini, remains firmly in power, just as he has been for the past 20 years. The President, despite claims to the contrary by paranoid elements of the West, wields little actual power.
Nonetheless, I think this demonstration of democracy- no matter how inconsequential- is a good exercise for Iran and an example of the country's vibrant civil society. The practice of having political debates aired in public seldom happens in most authoritarian regimes. I'm not suggesting that full-blown democracy is imminent in Iran. But if it were to happen, a democratic apparatus already exists. This is a good thing.
Could China emulate Iran's political system? The Communist Party has no desire to relinquish control, of course. But China could create an additional layer of government in which this version of democracy is practiced. The CCP Politburo can still vet candidates, hold ultimate power, and pull strings, but I think genuine political debate, difference, and passion would be a good thing for China. Too many intelligent Chinese people I know have told me that the country must unite behind its leadership and not question its wisdom. Maybe a bit of good-old fashioned disagreement would do the country a world of good.
June 10th, 2009 - 18:59
Doesn’t China also have a foundation to build on? I mean, the People’s Congress and People’s Political Consultative Committee system, from local up to national level. Sure, it’s even further from perfect from Iran’s system, but combined with (also far from perfect) experiments in grassroots democracy, and the fact that there are legal political parties other than the CCP, I would say China does have a base from which to build up its own version of democracy.
June 16th, 2009 - 02:59
I agree, but what I think is lacking in China- as compared to Iran- is the notion of genuine political disagreement voiced publicly. The existence of minority parties in China isn’t worth much if they agree exactly with the Communist Party on virtually all matters of state. That’s why I think Iran is closer to having a truly plural political structure than China
June 16th, 2009 - 17:08
True. China is very slowly developing that space for discussion and disagreement, but still very much in the beginning stages. Iran certainly is further ahead in that respect. And events in Iran of late have been very interesting… agreeing to a recount, even.
June 16th, 2009 - 21:44
If I were a Chinese leader, and was watching the events unfold in Iran, I certainly would think twice about implementing any type of voting system. Give the people a little bit of power, and they may strive for a hell of a lot more.