OUTSIDE THE BOX

Last week (7/12), we were talking about our form of government and thinking of whether we should force it on others.  Let's look at the governments of other countries.

It may surprise you to know how many monarchies (kings and queens) exist.  They include Japan, The United Kingdom, Spain, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Belgium, Luxembourg, and most of the Persian Gulf countries. The European countries above and Japan are constitutional monarchies with parliamentary democracies.  Most of the rest of European countries are parliamentary republics as are the South American and African countries below the Sahara.

Now comes China.  It is run by the Communist Party.  No voting here.  Sounds bad, doesn't it?  

In five years, China will have the largest economy in the world.  The people of China are well educated and travel at will.  All indicators of prosperity are aiming to the positive. How could this be?  How could they be doing so good?  We think voting is the only way . . . evidently it is not.

The Chinese have a method of promoting government workers based on performance.   All start at the lowest level, local jobs, and are promoted by the Party based on how they do.  There is no jumping ahead.  They need to work at each level of government on the way up.  If they don't perform, they are out.  If they are good, they get promoted.  The Party keeps turning over leaders based on their past performances.

This is what is missing from our system.  We elect those who the parties promote and it is supposed to be based on performance but it is not.  Our parties promoted a community organizer to the position of U.S. Senator and then to President.  Our parties promoted a ball club owner to state Governor and then to President.  Neither held their positions of prominence very long before the presidency.  No wonder we have problems.  Should we, if we could, force our form of government on China?  

We need to straighten out the mess we have created.   I wish I knew how.
o.o