Zhang Weiwei of Fudan University argues that democracy is destroying the West, and particularly America, because it institutionalises gridlock, trivialises decision-making and throws up second-rate presidents like George Bush junior. Yu Keping of Beijing University argues that democracy makes simple things “overly complicated and frivolous” and allows “certain sweet-talking politicians to mislead the people”. Wang Jisi, also of Beijing University, has observed that “many developing countries that have introduced Western values and political systems are experiencing disorder and chaos” and that China offers an alternative model. ____________________ Quite reminiscent of Shekhar Guptas allusions to Vaishali, the inspiration for AK in Arvind Chitra Katha (which raises similar issues to the Economist article and precedes it) indianexpress/article/opinion/columns/national-interest-arvind-chitra-katha/ Postscript: I found some references to the Vaishali of “those times” (probably 6th to 5th century BC) in eminent historian Dr Upinder Singh’s wonderfully erudite and authoritative A History of Ancient and Early Medieval India: From the Stone Age to the 12th Century (Pearson, 2009). But none to the courtesan that Chandamama, Wikipedia and Kejriwal extol. There was indeed democracy of the kind Kejriwal mentions. Singh says Vaishali’s “greatest asset — governance through discussion — was also their greatest weakness. They were vulnerable to internal dissensions, especially when faced with aggressive monarchies”. There was also an invasion of Vaishali by Magadha’s Ajatashatru, but not because he was madly in love with the nagarvadhu, as Chandamama and Wiki tell us. He was cross because two cousins, who had stolen a wonderful 18-string pearl necklace, had been given refuge in Vaishali. He invaded Vaishali, laid it to waste and massacred all its people, except Amrapali. And why did Vaishali, the much stronger and richer state, lose? Its “people spent all their time arguing and fighting over how they should carry out their defence”! In fact, according to Buddhist texts quoted by Singh, so notorious was the Vaishali anarchy that even the bodhisattvas advised a contemplative Buddha in heaven not to be born in that kingdom as it followed no system or order, as everybody there went around saying “I am king, I am king.”
Posted on: Tue, 11 Mar 2014 15:29:18 +0000
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