Term Paper on "How the United States Trade Policy With China Has Affected Civil Liberties Inside"

Term Paper 13 pages (3707 words) Sources: 60 Style: Chicago

[EXCERPT] . . . .

United States Trade Policy With China Has Affected Civil Liberties Inside China

The work of Ying Ma states that:...the fundamental underpinning of American policy toward China today - and U.S. democracy promotion in China - is economic engagement." (2007) Ying Ma also relates that over twenty years of trade between the United States and China has "drastically altered the face of Chinese society, resulting in an unprecedented expansion of economic, social and personal freedoms for ordinary Chinese citizens." (2007) However these improvements in Chinese society have "not been translated into political liberalization. These Chinese Communist Party (CCP) shows no interest in meaningful political reforms and has continued to rely on repression and brutality to maintain its rule." (Ma, 2007)

IDEALISM vs. REALISM

Idealistically speaking economic liberalization results in political liberalization and "As markets spread, people acquire greater wealth and have a stronger interest in participating in the political process and protecting their property. Freer markets thus give rise to political regimes that are more tolerant of human rights and are more likely to safeguard them. (Dorn, 1996) the work of Ying Ma entitled: "China's Stubborn Anti-Democracy" states the fact that: "Many China observers have long been predicting that China's encounter with market forces or liberal institutions and instruments from the West would spur inevitable democratic change. These observers have been right that China would become more pluralistic and multifaceted. But they have been delusional in thinking that Chinese leaders would simply roll over and relinquish power when presented with new challenges to their rule.

The Trade Resource Center in its article "Trade and Political Reform: Liberalized Trade Strengthens Democracy and Empowers Citizens" states that liberalization of Trade results in structural changes that are essential to democracy including those as follows: (1) Increased trade encourages the elimination of corruption and the establishment of the rule of law. Strong, transparent legal and regulatory regimes are necessary to attract investment and encourage economic exchange and also serve as the building blocks of free societies;

2) Increased trade facilitates the exchange of new ideas and exposure to different ways of thinking and organizing economically, civilly and politically;

3) Free trade agreements promote the rule of law, government transparency, increased citizen participation in the political process and freedom from central state regulation." (the Trade Resource Center: Business Roundtable, 2007)

Additionally stated is that economic reforms enable the emergence of a middle class that is "economically independent and politically aware." (Ibid, 2007) Stated is:

1) Trade liberalization raises concerns and creates a larger middle class of citizens who enjoy new opportunities, more choices and more control over their daily lives. Increased trade opens societies to new technologies, communications and democratic ideals;

2) in China, an emerging middle class is benefiting greatly from China's recent economic growth. Chinese citizens are now becoming independent homeowners, traveling internationally, studying abroad and engaging in international commerce; and (3) Governments that grant citizens the right to engage freely in commerce find it difficult to simultaneously deprive citizens of political and civil liberties." (the Trade Resource Center: Business Roundtable, 2007) Additionally related in this work is the statement of Daniel T. Griswold of the CATO Institute of: "The most economically open countries today are more than three times as likely to enjoy full political and civil freedoms as those that are relatively closed. Those that are closed are nine times more likely to completely suppress civil and political freedoms than those that are open." (the Trade Resource Center: Business Roundtable, 2007)

The truth is, according to the work of Edward Gresser in the Progressive Policy Institute article entitled: "Trading in Myth" that: "We now live in a global economy, created by trade agreements like the North American Free Trade Agreement and enforced by the World Trade Organization. This global economy leaves workers jobless at home and exploited abroad, as businesses escape to poor countries where they pay lower wages and ignore environmental laws. The opening of our borders, meanwhile, has exposed families to pollution and unsafe food." (2007) Gresser relates that during the 1890 Progressive movement liberalism emerged in America setting out ideals that are still adhered to by liberals inclusive of: "...a special concern fro the poor and a commitment to civil rights and civil liberties; a strong national government to protect the weak and promote the common good; and a foreign policy built on alliances, international law, and humanitarian initiatives, as well as on a strong military." (2007) Trade promotion has occurred upon the platforms of income tax and aversion of war evidenced in the statement of Franklin Roosevelt in 1936 in Argentina:

Our present civilization rests on the basis of an international exchange of commodities. Every nation of the world has felt the evil effects of recent efforts to erect trade barriers of every known kind. Every individual citizen has suffered from them. It is no accident that the nations which have carried this process farthest are those which proclaim most loudly that they require war as an instrument of their policy.... It is no accident that, because of these suicidal policies and the suffering attending them, many of their people have come to believe with despair that the price of war seems less than the price of peace." (Gresser, 2006)

FREE TRADE: U.S. And CHINA TRADE RELATIONS

The Insider reports in a feature article relating to Free Trade that just a decade ago there were practically "...no information exchange technology available to the average Chinese citizen." (2002) According to Ned Graham, presidents of East Gates International and son of Billy Graham, the impact that trade expansion has had upon the ability of his organization to conduct mission work in China that: "The proliferation of information technology has allowed us to be much more effective in developing and organizing our work in the PRC." The 'Insider' article states that one of the components of free trade is the encouragement that is provided in relation to human rights including freedom of speech and religion. This article states: "...as a general rule, nations that are more open economically tend to enjoy other liberties as well." (the Insider, 2002)

Michael Novak's work entitled: "Business as a Calling" gives an explanation which Novak has termed the 'wedge theory' which states that:

Capitalist practices, runs the theory, bring contact with the ideas and practices of the free societies, generate the economic growth that gives political confidence to a rising middle class, and raise up successful business leaders who come to represent a political alternative to military or party leaders. In short, capitalist firms wedge a democratic camel's nose under the authoritarian tent." (the Insider, 2002)

The 'Insider' article states that: "The people of China do not yet enjoy the range of political and civil rights we do in the West, but they are freer and materially better off than they were three decades ago. For that they can thank economic and trade liberalization." (the Insider, 2002) the 'Insider' article analysis holds the view that free trade that free trade and free markets serve to: "...empower poor people by giving them greater opportunity to create wealth and support their families. To cite the most dramatic example of this, the World Bank estimates that the number of Chinese citizens living in absolute poverty - that is, on less that $1 per day -- has fallen since 1978 by 200 million." (the Insider, 2002)

The work of James a. Dorn entitled: "Trade and Human Rights: The Case of China" published in the Cato Journal states of "the power of the market" in generation of political liberalization that: "China has created a new economic space by discarding central planning and allowing experimentation with new ownership forms. Since 1979 China's economy has grown at an average annual rate of more that 9% and has the potential to become the world's largest economy during the 21st century. " (1996) Dorn states that even in spite of the tight hold that the Chinese Community Party (CCP) has had in its monopoly of political power, "China is more open society today that it was a decade or two ago. There are still serious violations of human rights, but a case can be made that China is creeping along in the right direction and in time, may follow Taiwan's 'quiet revolution'.'" (1996)

TRADE LIBERALIZATION and DEMOCRATIZATION

Liberalization of trade toward democratization for a country such as China is a process and through this process of a "gradual introduction of markets in China" as China is opened to the world outside" is stated to result in a system that makes "the Chinese people freer" while reducing government's power. China is present at a point where the country has "...passed the test of economic growth..." But has yet "to achieve a true market system with widespread private ownership and a political system that respects human rights." (Dorn, 1996) the first step is sated to be the "end of collectivized agriculture in 1978 and the return of farming to families..." which transformed "the whole… READ MORE

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