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> China’s decline into despotism I am confused. What were they before?

• labster 2y ago
  China was a one-party state where party elections actually mattered.
  • gpvos 2y ago
    Free speech on political topics was still limited, e.g. about Tiananmen Square.
    • JumpCrisscross 2y ago
      Not among the elites, to my knowledge. Within the Chinese oligarchy there was political competition. Compare it to American democracy when we excluded women, Blacks and Indians.
      • gpvos 2y ago
        That's little consolation for the common man.
• Longlius 2y ago
  They had a lot of problems but power was still highly decentralized (a lot of decisions were left to local and regional party bosses). Human rights were never especially high on the list of priorities but you tended to see the government allow for a degree of experimentation that produced a lot of innovation and led to a vibrant culture. Things are very different now with a one-man cult of personality.