Beijing posts : The meaning of freedom

I come from a country that is often termed as the Worlds largest democracy. I work in a country that is known as a communist country. People here do not vote or elect representatives to the highest offices of their country.

Ever since China came into being on October 1, 1949, it has been under a single party rule. China is the worlds fourth largest economy and second largest in terms of purchasing power parity. Its a rapidly growing economy at 9.4 percent annually. It has lifted its nation out of 58% under the poverty line in 1981 to 8% at present.

The Indian progress has been much slower even though both countries started out equally on the road to economic progress. However, India has an eviable position of being the fourth largest econonmy in terms of purchasing power parity, growing at 9.1% annually and making major strides in the field of information technology.

China is far ahead in many areas compared to India. In some cases India is not expected to catch up in the near future, like in the case of telecommunications. Many chinese cities are the most modern in the world and compared to Indian cities are way ahead in terms of infrastructure and basic public amenities.

India is plagued by terrorist bombings, an increasing rate of crime and continuing communal violence. In India to do anything good, you have to consult and convince maybe on an average twenty political parties.

In China policies are implemented in a day or a week. I live and work in China and I feel comfortable here, I like the Hyundai Elantra taxis and the wide open roads in Beijing. I like it that I have my own road if I am on a bicycle. I like it that women are rarely subjected to street abuse. I like it when women travel together with men everywhere, in buses, subways, never really requiring a seperate compartment or special seats.

Then again I wonder if I was a chinese citizen I would really like it here. Maybe I wouldnt because I am from India. Because where I come from I am truly free, whatever
good that does. I have a certain arrogance in me that has taught me to never fear the government. In India, the government fears the people. In India I could start my own political party and rule the country. Farfetched, but possible. Then again maybe that is what is exactly wrong with India. Maybe that is what that keeps pulling her back.

Too much freedom, very powerful, often misused. 100 people may say the earth is flat. But the one person who knows it isnt is still right. That one person would never win the election. Democracy may not necessarily always make the right choices.

In a one party rule, the one party will command absolute power, and we all know absolute power corrupts absolutely...

Winston Churchill has said " The best argument against democracy is a five minute conversation with the average voter"

However Alastair Farrugia said " Freedom is when people can speak and democracy is when the government listens"

I love my country, I will, always. I just cannot shake that feeling. I also envy what China has achieved.

But just maybe, however slow and tardy, what India has achieved has been achieved by its people more that its political parties. With all her problems and her difficulties, Maybe by being so ridiculously diverse, we have learned how to truly respect,love and coexist.