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Why is Chinese repression so much more interesting than Saudi repression? We focus on the sins, both real and perceived, of our enemies; the United States and m

Why is Chinese repression so much more interesting than Saudi repression? We focus on the sins, both real and perceived, of our enemies; the United States and more generally the Democratic West has zero issue with allying itself with all manner of brutal dictatorships, as long as they do our bidding. I don't think this is a cynical take, but frankly a matter of public record, and ignoring it is to fall for our own propaganda.

seanmcdirmid 5y ago
Saudi repression is super interesting, and I think we should talk more about it. MBS got off way too easily on his assignation of a journalist, and that the USA continues to ally themselves with him is despicable. Incidentally, we should be talking more about Turkey now, they aren’t going in a good direction, or even some of the crazy things happening in India right now. And of course, Myanmar has gone to heck recently. China is a country on the cusp of development, they have the chance to go in the liberal society direction and it’s so sad to see them backsliding. That and their size is why they get the most attention, but because they are by any means the worst.
zaphirplane 5y ago
I’ll take your what about and raise you. Why didn’t the EU sanction the US for Guantanamo bay and Extraordinary rendition aka kidnapping Or the fabricated WMD story make Blair and bush war criminals FWIW I don’t think 2 wrongs make a right but also to take the moral high ground a group must have the moral high ground consistently
alisonatwork 5y ago
China is interesting because over 15% of the entire world's population lives there. China is interesting because it has the second largest GDP in the world. China is interesting because it has the largest military in the world. The government that runs China may not be especially worse than any other authoritarian government in the world. But because China is a world leader, they rightfully attract the attention of the rest of the world, just like America has for decades and other great powers did before it. I get the sense that the Chinese government wants to have its cake and eat it too - it wants to run the most powerful country in the world, but it does not want to accept the criticism that comes with that position.
Mediterraneo10 5y ago
Saudi was, at least before COVID, opening up tourism (except for the two holy cities). At least then people could go and see things for themselves, and there is a liberalizing potential if the locals crave tourist income more than they fear hardliners. China, on the other hand has made it harder to visit certain regions of the country in the last 13 years.

seanmcdirmid 5y ago

Saudi repression is super interesting, and I think we should talk more about it. MBS got off way too easily on his assignation of a journalist, and that the USA continues to ally themselves with him is despicable. Incidentally, we should be talking more about Turkey now, they aren’t going in a good direction, or even some of the crazy things happening in India right now. And of course, Myanmar has gone to heck recently. China is a country on the cusp of development, they have the chance to go in the liberal society direction and it’s so sad to see them backsliding. That and their size is why they get the most attention, but because they are by any means the worst.

zaphirplane 5y ago

I’ll take your what about and raise you. Why didn’t the EU sanction the US for Guantanamo bay and Extraordinary rendition aka kidnapping Or the fabricated WMD story make Blair and bush war criminals FWIW I don’t think 2 wrongs make a right but also to take the moral high ground a group must have the moral high ground consistently

alisonatwork 5y ago

China is interesting because over 15% of the entire world's population lives there. China is interesting because it has the second largest GDP in the world. China is interesting because it has the largest military in the world. The government that runs China may not be especially worse than any other authoritarian government in the world. But because China is a world leader, they rightfully attract the attention of the rest of the world, just like America has for decades and other great powers did before it. I get the sense that the Chinese government wants to have its cake and eat it too - it wants to run the most powerful country in the world, but it does not want to accept the criticism that comes with that position.

Mediterraneo10 5y ago

Saudi was, at least before COVID, opening up tourism (except for the two holy cities). At least then people could go and see things for themselves, and there is a liberalizing potential if the locals crave tourist income more than they fear hardliners. China, on the other hand has made it harder to visit certain regions of the country in the last 13 years.