Public security is the basis for social harmony

[Randy W]

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An analysis from the Global Times

 

Security an expensive task for US, China

 

Public security is the basis for social harmony. Negative sentiments in a society, when turned into a destructive power, will always threaten public security first.

The US may rank first in terms of its expenditure to maintain social stability. After the 9/11 attack, the US initiated two wars in the name of ensuring its own security, which led to thousands of US soldiers dead and achieved a crude outcome. It even established the Department of Homeland Security, and forcibly passed laws that are thought to intrude into people's privacy.

. . .

Now, people often make comparisons between China and the US, believing an overall competition will occur this century. If this is true, the real stage is not where they will fight each other. The competition will be one of having the ability to solve their own domestic problems rather than losses and gains in the international political sense.

If China's domestic problems increase, especially violence, its confidence will diminish. It is the same with the US. The US is encountering serious polarization of politics and society. Some incidents will serve as catalysts pushing partisanship to extremes.

China has devoted a great deal of efforts to tackling its domestic problems in recent years, which has brought a huge change to society. The whole of society has gradually reached a consensus on problem-solving. Chinese society has shown positive signs of reflecting on itself and mobilizing its resources, while US society has shown sluggishness. China may gain some advantage from this.

 

 

[david_dawei]

I think there may be some small comparisons going on which are apples and oranges. Social Harmony has been a historical concern in Chinese history but it is not the same concept in the west where protection of individualism is more important. This seems from the difference in how 'law' arose.

 

In the concept of [social and political] Law and Order: The US focuses on the former and China on the latter. In each respect, one loses something of the other.

[credzba]

I read this, and honestly I don't know enough about politics and country building to make a statement about the future of either country (any country for that matter).

 

It does make me think...

I am getting closer to retirement, and I have a job with great location flexibility, thus I start to think where I want to live.

There are many factors, but this issue of social order vs. law and order is certainly a factor.

I have posted before about my definition of freedom, and how China (for me) provides more freedom.

 

I think my opinion of this "freedom" is exactly the difference you are referring to.

I can live with people ignoring the law, so long as social order is maintained.

Other people, I presume, must need the order inherent in a law abiding citizenship to feel comfortable.

 

I think, no country can exist without social order, but that order can be decreed by law enforcement, or it can be by aggregate agreement ignoring the law.

 

Anyway .. just voicing thoughts in my head.

I think this difference in way of thinking is really different in the 2 countries, and perhaps in every person.

 

[Guest ExChinaExpat]

So Randy, what's your comment about the article you posted?

[Randy W]

I see I forgot the link again - must be getting old - http://www.globaltimes.cn/NEWS/tabid/99/ID/776020/Security-an-expensive-task-for-US-China.aspx

 

I posted it as a view from China article, especially since the byline is 'by Global Times', and, as such would be more of an official viewpoint than a op-ed type thing.

 

I think there's a lot behind the statement "Negative sentiments in a society, when turned into a destructive power, will always threaten public security first." I don't think most people realize the role of the Communist Party's usage of the social media in this respect, and just how effective it is.

[Guest ExChinaExpat]

I see I forgot the link again - must be getting old - http://www.globaltimes.cn/NEWS/tabid/99/ID/776020/Security-an-expensive-task-for-US-China.aspx

 

I posted it as a view from China article, especially since the byline is 'by Global Times', and, as such would be more of an official viewpoint than a op-ed type thing.

 

I think there's a lot behind the statement "Negative sentiments in a society, when turned into a destructive power, will always threaten public security first." I don't think most people realize the role of the Communist Party's usage of the social media in this respect, and just how effective it is.

 

It's now right at five years that I've been living and traveling all over China. I have met a lot of people in that time. The vast majority of Chinese have never traveled outside of China, and many have never left their own province. Today, this is changing fast. A lot more Chinese are getting enough money and flexibility to travel abroad and see how other people live on this lonely isolated round ball in the sky. The CCP is losing its totalitarian grip on its people. But still, there lives a true patriotism that may even be stronger than that of the young people of the West.