Re:RSF isn't always right (Score 1)

I'm curious what you mean when you say you "give these freedoms". Your phrasing seems to imply that you had some kind of choice in the matter. Forgive my ignorance, but in the Western world the impression is that the "choice" is pretty stark: give up your freedoms, or land in jail or worse. Most people I know would give up their freedoms happily under those circumstances. But in truth, what were the alternatives when you made your choice?

Forgive me if I seemed a little vague. As you may know, the Chinese culture and language tends to have many implicit references and I forget to be more explicit sometimes when I'm addressing an audience who isn't Chinese. English isn't my native language either. :-)

The concept of "choice" when it comes to voting is quite different. We don't necessarily use paper ballots when choosing our leaders, it is very much an implied contract (think of the Confucian legacy) between the people and its leader (the use of the singular by no means implies one person), where the people recognise the legitimacy of rule as long as the leader operates in a "just" manner which does not bring hardship to the people. I agree that this has been rather hazy in the past; Chairman Mao's policies are widely regarded now as a bad thing, but the resulting victory of Deng Xiaoping and the leftist Hua Guofeng led us to path of market liberalization that we are pursuing now. All without the direct involvement of the people.

I'd also like to know what choices you have when you vote. Again, your phrasing seems to imply you have some level of choice. Is there ever an alternative on the ballot? In the Western world the impression is there is never more than one candidate for an office, and they will get elected regardless of what the voters do. It seems to me that if the voters cannot affect the outcome then they are not the ones who "elect" the government. If that's not the case could you reply and tell us how it really works?

I think my answer to your first paragraph kinda covers this. :-)