American oligarchy vs Chinese ‘consultative democracy’
While scholars conclude that the USA is an oligarchy run by big corporations, China has developed a unique system of “whole-process people’s democracy”. This is how it works.
Aug 16, 2024
By Simon Turner
Participants in the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) in 2018
Who do we want to lead? With genocide ongoing, regional wars brewing, and climate change records breaking, who is a safe pair of hands?
Today a choice exists; an alternative to the US-led international order is being built, with China at its center.
A Western pollster, Edelman Trust Barometer, found China to be the country rated highest globally in terms of people’s trust in their government.
China has held the top spot every year but one since 2018, with a comprehensive trust index of 79 in 2024. The US is down at a mere 46.
The people of the US are at a disadvantage, however. How can their trust in government be strong under a duopoly system that is most convincing when the population is the most polarized? That the governments in such a system based on divide-and-conquer cannot reach China’s approval rating is practically built in.
The November US election was supposed to be the toughest test yet for “lesser-evil” voting. Donald Trump — who was so supportive of Israel he moved the US embassy to occupied Jerusalem, in violation of international law — was to compete against Genocide Joe — who kept the embassy there, while arming Israel as it massacred Palestinian civilians in Gaza.
Instead, Kamala Harris took Biden’s place. She aligns with the Republicans on the genocidal Israeli regime, and today bears responsibility for its crimes, second only to Biden. But we are told she represents change.
According to a famous study co-authored by scholars at Princeton and Northwestern University, citizen participation in the process of US liberal democracy has “little or no independent influence” on government policy.