4 ms·

With the exception of Hong Kong, aren't these all pretty authoritarian states?

by yincrash 10y ago

dingo_bat 10y ago
Didn't Hong Kong pass over to China about a decade ago?
- vkou 10y ago
  Hong Kong is still a SAR.
  - ptaipale 10y ago
    But slightly more and more in name only, with Beijing controlling it more, politically.
- xiaoma 10y ago
  It was 20 years ago, in 1997.
triplesec 10y ago
unfortunately, Hong Kong is turning authoritarian too, with only a semblance of democracy under the iron thumb of Beijing.
douche 10y ago
Unfortunately England sold out Hong Kong
- deerpig 10y ago
  They didn't have much choice. The new territories had to go back because they were leased. So all that they could have held on to was Hong Kong island and Kowloon. There wasn't the infrastructure to maintain those areas. And China was a very different place in those days, the insane crap that they said to the British during handover negotiations made anything Donald Trump saying today look intelligent... It was a stressful time to be living there. So today Hong Kong is a Chinese colony instead of a slightly (yes, slightly) more benign British colony.
  - andrepd 10y ago
    Slightly? As far as I know, the United Kingdom is a democracy while China is an oppressive, imperialist, authoritarian state under oligarchic rule, with complete disregard for human rights or the cries for independence and democracy from its dependencies. Would it be ruled by Britain instead of China there would be a world of difference, don't kid yourself.
    - Cyph0n 10y ago
      Can you name a democratic country with 1 billion+ people that has achieved what China has in such a short period of time? Nope. Do you think China would have progressed the same if it wasn't managed as an autocracy?
      - jungletek 10y ago
        So the ends justify the means, is what you're saying?
        Cyph0n 10y ago
        Nope. Read my comment again. Here, I'll make it easier: > Can you name a democratic country with 1 billion+ people that has achieved what China has in such a short period of time? Nope. Do you think China would have progressed the same if it wasn't managed as an autocracy?
      - andrepd 10y ago
        Who cares 1,300,000,000 people live without liberty and are subject to humans rights violations? They make cheap shit. Is that what you're saying?
        Cyph0n 10y ago
        I asked you two questions, and you answer with another question. > They make cheap shit. What?
Cyph0n 10y ago
I'm not sure about Singapore, but Doha and Dubai are the both capital cities of a monarchy: Qatar and UAE, respectively. Keep that in mind if you ever visit. I lived in the UAE for ~14 years, so I can give you some idea of how safe Dubai is. - You can leave your car in a parking lot for hours, unlocked, with expensive devices clearly visible. Nobody would even come close to it. - There is no need to lock your house when you leave. People usually do though, because it just make sense to do so. - You can walk virtually anywhere in Dubai at any time of night, completely alone. Nobody will bother you. - The UAE has some of the friendliest police I've ever seen. Oh, and they are extremely professional and responsive, and are insanely good at what they do [1]. In my 14 years living there, I have never once been robbed, have never even witnessed a crime or robbery, nor have I ever heard of someone (e.g., friends) falling victim to one. The only incident was a break-in at the home of a family we knew. That's it. And I hear that Doha is even safer than Dubai! [1]: https://www.wikiwand.com/en/Assassination_of_Mahmoud_Al-Mabhouh https://www.wikiwand.com/en/Assassination_of_Mahmoud_Al-Mabh...
- douche 10y ago
  Haha, that sounds like back home in western Maine, if you're a local who isn't a known drunk or stoner. Even then, you can leave everything unlocked, without fear
- srtjstjsj 10y ago
  Safe for tourists, not for residents. https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2011/may/27/dubai-migrant-worker-deaths https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2011/may/27/dubai-...
  - Cyph0n 10y ago
    Yep, their human rights track record is terrible, but even with that, Dubai is still safer than most other large cities. What do you mean by "tourists"? Did you miss the part where I say that I lived in the UAE for 14 years?
    - realusername 10y ago

With the exception of Hong Kong, aren't these all pretty authoritarian states?

dingo_bat 10y ago

Didn't Hong Kong pass over to China about a decade ago?

vkou 10y ago
Hong Kong is still a SAR.
- ptaipale 10y ago
  But slightly more and more in name only, with Beijing controlling it more, politically.
xiaoma 10y ago
It was 20 years ago, in 1997.

triplesec 10y ago

unfortunately, Hong Kong is turning authoritarian too, with only a semblance of democracy under the iron thumb of Beijing.

douche 10y ago

Unfortunately England sold out Hong Kong

deerpig 10y ago
They didn't have much choice. The new territories had to go back because they were leased. So all that they could have held on to was Hong Kong island and Kowloon. There wasn't the infrastructure to maintain those areas. And China was a very different place in those days, the insane crap that they said to the British during handover negotiations made anything Donald Trump saying today look intelligent... It was a stressful time to be living there. So today Hong Kong is a Chinese colony instead of a slightly (yes, slightly) more benign British colony.
- andrepd 10y ago
  Slightly? As far as I know, the United Kingdom is a democracy while China is an oppressive, imperialist, authoritarian state under oligarchic rule, with complete disregard for human rights or the cries for independence and democracy from its dependencies. Would it be ruled by Britain instead of China there would be a world of difference, don't kid yourself.
  - Cyph0n 10y ago
    Can you name a democratic country with 1 billion+ people that has achieved what China has in such a short period of time? Nope. Do you think China would have progressed the same if it wasn't managed as an autocracy?
    - jungletek 10y ago
      So the ends justify the means, is what you're saying?
      - Cyph0n 10y ago
        Nope. Read my comment again. Here, I'll make it easier: > Can you name a democratic country with 1 billion+ people that has achieved what China has in such a short period of time? Nope. Do you think China would have progressed the same if it wasn't managed as an autocracy?
    - andrepd 10y ago
      Who cares 1,300,000,000 people live without liberty and are subject to humans rights violations? They make cheap shit. Is that what you're saying?
      - Cyph0n 10y ago
        I asked you two questions, and you answer with another question. > They make cheap shit. What?

Cyph0n 10y ago

I'm not sure about Singapore, but Doha and Dubai are the both capital cities of a monarchy: Qatar and UAE, respectively. Keep that in mind if you ever visit. I lived in the UAE for ~14 years, so I can give you some idea of how safe Dubai is. - You can leave your car in a parking lot for hours, unlocked, with expensive devices clearly visible. Nobody would even come close to it. - There is no need to lock your house when you leave. People usually do though, because it just make sense to do so. - You can walk virtually anywhere in Dubai at any time of night, completely alone. Nobody will bother you. - The UAE has some of the friendliest police I've ever seen. Oh, and they are extremely professional and responsive, and are insanely good at what they do [1]. In my 14 years living there, I have never once been robbed, have never even witnessed a crime or robbery, nor have I ever heard of someone (e.g., friends) falling victim to one. The only incident was a break-in at the home of a family we knew. That's it. And I hear that Doha is even safer than Dubai! [1]: https://www.wikiwand.com/en/Assassination_of_Mahmoud_Al-Mabhouh https://www.wikiwand.com/en/Assassination_of_Mahmoud_Al-Mabh...

douche 10y ago
Haha, that sounds like back home in western Maine, if you're a local who isn't a known drunk or stoner. Even then, you can leave everything unlocked, without fear
srtjstjsj 10y ago
Safe for tourists, not for residents. https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2011/may/27/dubai-migrant-worker-deaths https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2011/may/27/dubai-...
- Cyph0n 10y ago
  Yep, their human rights track record is terrible, but even with that, Dubai is still safer than most other large cities. What do you mean by "tourists"? Did you miss the part where I say that I lived in the UAE for 14 years?
  - realusername 10y ago