I don't pretend to have any expertise in regard to this question having only been here in China for one year. But from all I've seen, encountered and discussed I would tend to agree that democracy is not yet an option. Indeed, I would go so far as to say that at this stage, when there are those who still regard the opening and expansion as "experimental", it could possibly be a total disaster.

It would need a completey different mind-set from everything the Chinese people regard as their cultural heritage to turn them into politically-responsible beings.

The changes that have taken place since opening and expansion have been huge and all-embracing, in a way many Westerners cannot comprehend. Simply settling down to capitalism has brought with it huge dislocation amongst much of the population - it has all happened so fast.

There is also the fact that the average Chinese person connects the word "democracy" with America and is not impressed!

quite right, romany- and twice as right about australia.

in fact, there is a wider range of opinion in the politiburo of the chinese communist party than there is in the laboral party of australia. and the chinese vote rather more often than ozzies too.

but i'm hoping both countries will evolve to democracy someday. not holding my breath, mind.

The topic of "democracy" is one which most speakers at today's China, East Asia, Media, New Media Conference 2007 in Brisbane skirted around. I have to admit I was one of them. The previous draft of my notes had a definition of "electronic democracy" in it. I changed this to "Governance", in the version presented, as I did not want to embarrass the Chinese delegates: http://www.tomw.net.au/technology/it/china_wireless.shtml

But talking to an expert in Chinese politics they explained that the term "e-Democracy" is not commonly used in China and while it would not cause offense, "governance" would be better understood.

Tomw - read the draft on the site you posted and was very excited by the concept suggested. Yes, I think that strategems such as this are of vital importance.

It has taken a long while for me to shed the eurocentric paradigms which one unconsciously adopts in the West and to realise the difference between Chinese world views and one's own. I think that the suggestions contained within the document you posted are a necessary tool for to-days Chinese youth.

We have had 2,000 years of unconscious inculcation of the terms of democracy and to expects any nation to understand the mindsets we have inherited within a scant twenty years is a fantastical notion.

It seems to me that "democracy" is shorthand for a whole range of processes, rights and responsibilities. Elections are amongst the least important of democratic institutions, much more significant are things like the rule of law, guarantees of personal freedoms (freedom of speech, religion, association, reproduction etc) and the separation of powers. Elections are important as a reminder to elected officials that they don't rule the people, they rule for the people (and therefore may be thrown out).

Jieh-Yung suggests that "if strengthening China is the overriding purpose ... then arguably democracy may be less effective then other political system." But, apparently, a market economy, massive spending on industrialisation, huge private wealth and the break-up of state enterprises (to the benefit primarily of the newly rich middle classes) are OK?

The last vestige left of Communist China is the Communist Party of China. They have entirely abandoned Marxism in favour of Western capitalism. But they haven't abandoned totalitarianism, because it keeps the ruling elite in power. Just like Singapore, which could certainly "afford" democracy, but is kept under the heel of the PAP, for the benefit of the Lee family and their cronies.

China is a very different from Australia, check out Geert Hofstede's analysis of a variety of social dimensions here http://www.geert-hofstede.com/hofstede_dimensions.php You might argue that the Chinese are so different that liberal democracy might not work for them. But it works in Greece, which is quite similar to China.

I am not sure I buy Jieh-Yung's analysis. I suspect the elephant in the room is Tibet.

Welcome Tomw. Have seen a few of your posts on Slashdot.

Johnj - I am unsure what you meant by "it works in Greece which is quite similar to China"? Were you being ironic? If so, I don't quite get the analogy. Perhaps you could expand a little?