“But that’s not what Chinese people care about. For ordinary folks, it’s the cost of health care, real-estate prices, their children’s education. Not democracy.”
“If China were to transform into a democracy, it would be hell on earth,” he said. “I would evacuate tomorrow, to the United States or Europe or—I don’t know.” The irony that the countries he was proposing were democracies seemed to escape his notice.
It seems pretty clear (abet somewhat naive) to me. Liu is valuing quality of life over some abstract democratic ideal. He recognizes that a liberalization of the state and the economy would kick off the deprecation we've seen in India, Eastern Europe, and Latin America. Why would he want to live on the periphery, rather than in the Imperial Core where quality of life would be better?
He might not understand all the nuts and bolts of neoliberalism, and how it grinds up a liberalized country into fodder for the imperial core to consume. But he sees how these things start and how they end. So he knows which side of the Wall he'd rather live on once it comes down.
Sounds like Liu, while probably not a Marxist, still broadly supports everything the CPC has done and is doing.
He supports the consequences of CPC policy, even if he's not thrilled with its methods. He likes living comfortably. And modern China is a very comfortable place to live.
It seems pretty clear (abet somewhat naive) to me. Liu is valuing quality of life over some abstract democratic ideal. He recognizes that a liberalization of the state and the economy would kick off the deprecation we've seen in India, Eastern Europe, and Latin America. Why would he want to live on the periphery, rather than in the Imperial Core where quality of life would be better?
He might not understand all the nuts and bolts of neoliberalism, and how it grinds up a liberalized country into fodder for the imperial core to consume. But he sees how these things start and how they end. So he knows which side of the Wall he'd rather live on once it comes down.
He supports the consequences of CPC policy, even if he's not thrilled with its methods. He likes living comfortably. And modern China is a very comfortable place to live.