“War for democracy” and “democracy for economic growth and development” continue to echo as slogans in the propaganda chambers of European and American ruling elites. Both parliamentary and presidential forms of democracy follow the Westminster democratic culture that dominates the world today. The periodic direct and indirect elections have produced not only the ruling party and the opposition but also a two-party system in most countries practising democracy as a form of governance. The Westminster democratic traditions have diminished democratic diversity to a two-party system. From the US, UK, Europe, and Canada to democratic nations in Asia, Africa, Oceania, and South and Latin America, countries are witnessing a two-party system where two dominant parties dominate the political landscape and reduce the political choices of citizens. Most other political parties are marginalised in the electoral processes.
In the process of liberalisation, privatisation and globalisation, market forces have captured both dominant parties as their representatives in different forms. Market-led democracies have not only destroyed democratic practices in the form of representing people’s interests in governance and decision-making through public policy but have also destroyed the conditions necessary for deepening democracy and empowering citizens’ rights. Market-led democracy has enabled the marketisation of society, where mass consumerism defines everyday life. Such a culture of consumerism is not a product of citizens’ choices but is based on policy transformations enabled by the state and government.
In this way, contemporary democracies across the globe are bourgeois democracies, where the market decides the nature of the state, government, and citizens’ choices—or lack thereof—in their everyday lives. Bourgeois culture and practices have reduced democracies merely to rituals of periodic elections, where people are forced to elect based on the two choices they have on the ballot paper. Other candidates and smaller parties are either marginalised or undermined by electoral propaganda based on emotive issues of religion, region, caste, race, and nationalism, rather than on substantive issues that affect people in their everyday lives. The bourgeois capture of democracy did not happen overnight; it happened slowly, by design, inherent within Westminster democratic traditions, where bourgeois practices are integral to a democracy controlled by ruling elites who govern society indirectly through their representatives in parliament.
However, this is different in China. China has eight political parties (small and large) other than the Communist Party of China. Each of these parties has its representation in the National People’s Congress (NPC), the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress (NPCSC), and the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (NCCPPCC). These three organs are central to governance and policy making in China. Even the Taiwanese Democratic Self-Government League (TDSL), with around 3,500 members, has representation within the NPC, NPCSC, and NCCPPCC. The Chinese Communist Party (CPC), with a majority of membership and support in Chinese society, leads the processes of governance and policy-making based on a “system of multi-party cooperation and political consultation under the leadership of the CCP.” Such is the nature of participatory democracy in China, which follows a united front strategy where each political party, its members, and the Chinese people have their representatives. No one is left unrepresented in Chinese participatory democracy. It is not a majoritarian democracy but a people’s democracy, where every Chinese citizen and all political parties participate in decision-making.
Once anti-Chinese propaganda subsides, given the overwhelming democratic dividends based on evidence of economic prosperity and the political, social, and cultural empowerment of Chinese citizens, it will be important to look at Chinese democracy under the leadership of the Communist Party of China for inspiration.
Despite all fraudulent propaganda and false allegations of Chinese authoritarianism, one-party state, communist party dictatorship, and all other illiberal abuses do not stop Chinese democracy, led by Chinese citizens, from flourishing. Chinese democracy is not only shaped by the people but stands for the people and stands with the people. Chinese people have eight parties to choose from to represent them in the NPC, NPCSC, and NCCPPCC. These three institutions shape governance in China with the support of democratic provincial, regional, and local institutions. It is the Chinese people who decide their future within Chinese democratic practices, where citizens have real choices—not based on fraudulent propaganda but on the clear material, cultural and spiritual needs of the Chinese people. Chinese democracy stands for peace and development globally and the empowerment of Chinese citizens locally. Chinese democracy is advocating for an ecological civilisation not only for the Chinese people but also for the world.
China is not only the economic workshop that provides quality goods and service for the world, built on the skills and creativity of the Chinese people, but also a workshop for alternative democratic practice, where the people decide their present and future. China is home to new democratic experiments that work for the deepening of democratic ideals and the empowerment of the people. There are challenges facing Chinese democracy due to the sheer size of its population and geography, but the Chinese people know their limitations and how to overcome their challenges by practicing people’s democracy in China.
As China marches forward, the bourgeois democracies continue to debate their failed framework of economic growth and development and their fraudulent trickle-down ideology, whereas Chinese democracy is marching ahead with economic growth and development that upholds the interests of the people and not corporations. If there are any doubts, visit China and be the guest of the Chinese people to learn democracy from the Chinese people who are loving, caring, affectionate, peaceful, and live in harmony with one another.
The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect (North London News) editorial policy.
