The recent dusting of ire toward China by members of Congress belies an essential reality: China represents exactly what Capitalism needs: huge markets populated by an oppressed people who have cash. China is capitalism without liberty, an ideal system for business: it allows profit while ensuring that there won’t—or can’t—be significant instability. If businesses can be sure of a climate that supports them while at the same time prevents worker unrest, “excessive” democracy (in the form of taxes on businesses, for example), then the environment for doing business is perfect.
Key U.S. technology and internet companies have been complicit in helping China achieve this objective. Limiting access to the ’net through “commercializing” it—ending internet neutrality—is a step on the way to developing means of silencing critics of business and government. Boingboing has been keeping track of a lot of this. For one of the recent entries, see here. For a good rant, see John Batelle here. I’ll be interested in seeing what, if anything, comes out of this hearing.
China’s defense of its position is based on the old playground defense: the West did it first, so it’s okay for us.
This model or theory applies mostly to large corporations, but I’m afraid that the future will bring more restrictions on personal and internet freedom as those corporations exert increasing control over how we live our lives and enjoy the fruits of our labors. DRM is but one example, one that I will leave for another post.
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