Western Socialisation Versus Life in China

As a foreigner today I want to introduce the concept of socialisation,by discussing the issue of western perceptions of Chinese communism.



When I came to China,in 2004 ,three years ago I was completely unaware or unconscious of personal bias toward, or preconceptions of China and its' people. I was aware of course that as an indian I disliked and disapproved of communism and therefore felt sorry for the Chinese people. But now after spending 3 years in china, I can say without qualification, that every day brings for me, a new appreciation of Mao Ze Dong and the Chinese Communist Government.
If you had ever spent time living in (rural) China, you would know that the cultural norms here, center around a couple of well used phrases such as, "It doesn't matter, it is not important, and don't worry about it". Add to this, 'It is normal', and you have a mindset that just 'accepts' what happens and otherwise is not interested in doing anything unless 'forced'.



A Chinese businessman I met on the plane from nanchang to shanghai explained to me that he is being paid big money to hold seminars in Mainland China. He is very happy to take the money, but admits that it is a complete waste of time, for no one will listen to him or 'learn' about business procedures. 'The Chinese businessman' he informed me, 'thinks only of the immediate sale and of making the greatest profit possible, and never considers his loss when the potential customer turns away and goes elsewhere.'



Now on the point of changing from traditional thinking to something more modern, I would draw your attention to a press conference I read about a few months ago. A Chinese politician was being interviewed by the western press, and was asked about the introduction of Democratic processes into China. His reply was that 'this will take a long time. Chinese people are not very well educated. It will take about 50 years before the people are ready for democracy.'

I could just imagine what the journalists were thinking. I on the other hand, just laughed. 'Fifty years?' I thought, ' More like 150 years!' Before you condemn me for my particular take on Chinese Democracy, let me tell you something when I entered into a lengthy discussion with some of my Chinese friends about china and its future and this is what they told me- "If democracy were introduced into China tomorrow, next week we would have a bloodbath. The country would fall apart.” My personal observations lead me to concur.

We in the india decry communism, because we have a particularly 'western' politico/cultural worldview. But China has never known democracy. The system in place in China today is no different to that under which the people of China have lived for the last 2000 years. The standard of living and education of the people however, has grown and progressed in leaps and bounds under Communism.

I have also been to the rural areas of China. I have come to know the rich and the poor. I see the poverty and the waste (of money). I see the disregard for the poor, and the arrogance of the rich. I know the types of people who are getting rich without paying taxes. I follow the political scene in China and read the Governments blueprints for the country's economic future. I know that the Government is trying to even out the system, to make it work better, and to make it more honest and accountable. I know that they are trying to lighten the burden of the peasant farmers. I know they are striving to raise the standards of living and education in this country. I see their attempts to keep the country in one piece whilst trying to bring the people into the 20th century (forget about the 21st).

In short, my first hand knowledge of daily Chinese life, leads me to admire the Government's ability to have succeeded so well, in the short time it has been in power, and I know that without Communism, China would not be where it is today. I also know that the future is precarious, and that at any time, a return could be made to more severe times and policies.




I have no illusions about the Chinese people, and I no longer hold to my western preconceptions of them. I know them for who they are. If westerners have one big flaw in their cultural self perception, it is that they fail to see themselves as the rest of the world sees them. They judge the rest of the world by their own standards. They think, for example, that racism and sexism can be cured by legislation, while in most countries both are enshrined in legislation. They think that their cultural beliefs are so admirable, that everyone will race to embrace them. This is just not so!


People in China see their world as they have always seen their world, and despite their love of modern technology, have no desire to become like Indians or Americans. How can they think like this? The answer is simple. Foreigners are just foreigners. “We are Chinese! Being Chinese is better than being American”. A foreigner may become a Chinese citizen, but he will always be a foreigner.

Whether we talk about China, Afghanistan, Iraq, or any other country, culture or religious custom, we need to understand that our perceptions of what is 'valuable and desirable', is tainted by our national 'prejudices', and if we 'altruistically' force our ways of thinking and lifestyle on others, what we so generously offer, may be thrown back in our faces. Our thinking and many of our cultural beliefs are no less a result of 'political and media propaganda', than are those of people raised in totalitarian states. Think about it!




---------------------HIMANSHU SETHIA (ALL RIGHTS RESERVED)----------------------
READERS CAN MAIL ME AT-himanshu28102000@yahoo.co.in

Thanks from the bottom ot my heart.This article is your master piece.hope you will write more.I came to know more from your article about china that i could have never known.Thank you once again.