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Freedom is a cultural thing
May I submit that China's lack of freedom is primarily due to self-censorship which is based on traditional know-how, and much of that is about how to be a model follower, good student, good test taker (whatever the test content is), and so on. One practice ground of self-censorship is the Chinese home, parents really suppress free thinking of kids by subjecting them to memorization of materials, some of which are either outdated or simply wrong). If there needs to be a revolution, it should first happen at home. In social life, the self-censorship is so bad that whenever someone is in power, the first thing he/she does is to create rules and restrictions (building dams), to show loyalty or to channel wealth... If I were Hu Jintao, I'd worry not about my position; I'd even call for more freedom... why not?
pat gilbert 100+
Rhona Pavis 50+
Feyisayo Anjorin 50+
Real freedom exists; and all cultures of the world are only presenting their deviation from the true meaning as the ideal.
Some think that freedom is being able to do anything and everything one feels like doing, in anyway one thinks it should be done; in the end, those people become enslaved in their freedom.
Some think that freedom means guarding ancient traditions, or resisting the dynamism of culture.
Different cultures have different perception of freedom; so, one culture can not sit on a high moral chair and label another. People are not dumb, foolish or blind. If a people need certain changes in their society, they will clamour for it and get it, on their own terms.
凡其 李
But China have no this kind of Culture , no custom of obeying contract. "A society that breaks its social contract would not be a society"(translated by google from french wikipedia "Du contrat social" entry) So another solution is Singapore's way.A powerful man established a powerful government then a powerful legal system and made the citizens obey. The difference is who take the first step, A powerful man like Lee Kuan Yew or the citizens of a society spontaneously.The latter is the way of America, because there was that kind of culture.
凡其 李
It seems China lacks freedom, but it is because China lacks a powerful legal system like America. Most people don't want a powerful legal system no matter the 9 bosses of Politburo Standing Committee of CPC or average workers in Foxconn. Mao Tse-Tung said what he said was laws, but the problem is that what he said were often self contradictive. In Mao's era, there was only two laws adopted by the National People's Congress , Constitution and Marriage Law, though Mao criticized confucius and promoted the Legalism.
Many people in China says China need a powerful legal system and criticize the Mao's quotation-law, but the problem is that many of them are also self contradictive. When the law benefit them, they support obeying the judgment of the court. When not, they says China's legal system is bullshit, which is controled by Communist Party of China(CPC).
No citizen of any country have the freedom of killing, I guess.Maybe you will say killing is not freedom. Then it turn back to my point of China lacking a legal system, a system to determine what IS freedom. In fact, Chinese have some freedom, if it is , that American don't have. We have the freedom of threatening, of insult. These kinds of stuff fills the weibo. A 17-year-old abused British diver Tom Daley, then he was arrested. This is incredible in China.
If there is a cultural thing, it is that China doesn't have a culture to obeying rules even if they had agreed ever.
According to The Social Contract of Rousseau, " each gives up his natural liberty to gain a civil liberty"(translated by google from french wikipedia. I don't know if it is precise). But Chinese hasn't given up their natural liberty. They always threaten , insult. Most of all, they have no spirit of contract and always break it.
Barry Palmer 50+
This attitude is common in the USA as well. The courts may not be controlled by any particular political party, but it can be very difficult for an ordinary person to go to court against a powerful opponent. More and more businesses are using contracts to avoid the court system. For many ordinary transactions today, like obtaining a credit card, you have to agree that any consequent conflicts will be settled outside of the court system. Our court system is probably among the best in the world, but if the goal is justice for all, it will require many major adjustments to reach that goal.
Mark Kurtz 20+
What other kind of true freedom is there?
As I see it, there is spiritual work to do and lots of it. The center of a person determines his character and if the real center of self is kind and considerate, he gives freedom by self restraint and by gifting to help people.
We are learning hard definition of partial freedom without giving true freedom through "practical" love in all aspects of life. The pathway to peace includes learning self restraint---personal and civic.
Food for thought?
James Zhang 30+
Freedom of speech and freedom of education is what has empowered us normal people to take direct control/influence to our society... and money...
Barry Palmer 50+
In the USA freedom is the bedrock of our culture. And it is not working. At this point in history, we have good reason to believe that "democratic capitalism" leads to a system that benefits the few much more than the many, and to an unsustainable economy.
In China, responsibility to others is the bedrock of their culture. And it is not working. Life without individual human rights cannot be a happy life, and there will forever be at least tension, and perhaps conflict, between the government and the people.
A big part of the problem in the USA is that the ties between freedom and responsibility are too weak. The Bill of Rights limit the power of government. The freedoms are provided to the people as a result of these limitations, and there are no legal responsibilities tied to freedom. Some have argued that legally linking responsibilities to freedom destroys freedom.
Many small communities naturally develop a balance between individuality and responsibilities to each other, and over time this becomes an identifying part of their culture. Could we find a way to scale this up? I think it would take something in writing, but perhaps stop short of a legal requirement. What do you think?
(If you think these ideas are off topic, let me know and I will delete this.)
James Zhang 30+
However, I think that we are all legally responsible for our freedom, whether this is contradictory to freedom itself or not. I say this because whether we like it or not, we are all part of society, and therefore we are all under jurisdiction of the law as being good citizens of society. So there needs to be limitations, but also affordances. I think one of our most important freedoms we have is freedom of speech. And I think it should be our duty as a citizen to know who to vote and follow some politics and such.
Debra Smith 200+
For example the strong often feel it is their right to take from the weak or the poor and laws can intervene to say "No , your strength does not outwetigh their rights?" On a small planet where too many have already pillaged and raped, human rights must prevail for the common good of all.
James Zhang 30+
James Zhang 30+
Chinese Government is afraid of giving people any more power or else it becomes extremely hectic. But, I can see what's gonna happen with China. Social Media is a key factor here. Because of social media, I can foresee there be riots about something the Chinese Government are doing horribly in (college entrance exams, Bird's Nest, etc.), if Chinese Government starts retaliating, it'll only fuel the fire. There could be mass riots or activism and things can get really hectic, until finally the government or the UN or something will intervene or something.