I had often seen westerners criticizing Chinese government for being authoritarian, totalitarian, tyrannical, and responsible for poor human rights record. Recently, I read reports of some groups advocating for a boycott to the Beijing Olympiad Game. A trace of irony can also be heard on the comments of Beijing reconstructing and overhauling the whole city in preparation of the Game saying that much of these rebuilt “smacks of totalitarian-power architecture”. I appreciate the pressure they exert on the Chinese government, but a plethora of this make me really sick. I hate oppression, I hate tyranny, I really love liberty and freedom, but when I see those tirades ranted by people who barely understand the subtlety of Chinese cultural context, mindset of the general population and social environment and condition, I just get disgusted.

Not only do I not believe that they do not understand the difficulties we are truly in, I also doubt how ‘liberal’ and ‘democratic’ they really are. They think they had always grasped the true essence of liberty? Consider these facts. Despite the high-minded ideology of liberty and democracy, in practice it had only existed within the groups that were in power. The US founded on the belief that ‘all men are created equal’, yet at the birth of the nation the non-property-owners and women were excluded from political rights (yeah, because it was men, not women.). Afterwards voting rights extended to all white male, but women and Negros were still ignored. In the 20^th century, some states banned the teaching of Darwin’s evolution theory, limiting freedom of thinking – and there are teachers being persecuted for that. And the communists are right in saying that the working population in the thriving period of American economy at the beginning of the 20^th century lived in poverty and plight, denied of material welfare and had little social visibility. Things were even worse in colonies, where indigenous people were subjected to outright oppression and exploitation of white people who occupied an absolutely higher class as the rulers. US government had suppressed protests as well; it had purged dissents and different views that were suspected to be associated with communism as well; it had sacrificed individual rights for national security as well; it discriminated against some social groups and classes as well. Even now, many people say that the politics are just the playground of the wealthy, controlled by big corporations, and many people don’t actually have a say in national affairs. Let’s face it, there is oppression in one way or another, the only thing that differs is the extent. That is the nature of human society. That is where ideology compromises with reality!

Besides, there is no natural axiom stipulating that liberty precedes everything else. There are pursuits on basic needs, survival, safety, prosperity, and various other goals. Can you say that liberty is more important than those all? What if everyone face no government oppression, but live in poverty, misery and upheaval? Is it worth it to embrace liberty at the expense of all other things? To some, yes; but to others, no! Liberty had not been an important value in Chinese society throughout history, rather, what is more cherished were prosperity and pride of the nation as a whole, and better lives for the commoners. In recent history many Chinese had fought for liberty and democracy for the nation, but were thwarted by infirmities inherent in the Chinese culture and social environment. And the people suffered from chaos and instability. So is it so noxious to give some priority to order and stability in China today? Indeed the government had been at fault on some occasions of oppression, and some people abused the policy of maintaining stability. That can be improved. Nonetheless, it is a period in which we can finally enjoy stability and economic development and consequently higher standards of living. Who are they to judge what Chinese people want at this point of time? Who are they to play nanny and didactic? I can say with certitude that more and more Chinese people seek more liberty, democracy and social justice, but when we need it, we will demand it, fight for it, and will obtain it in the end, by ourselves, not by a foreign power! I know this appear to verge on narrow-mindedness, but that is what most Chinese people think.

Radical movements had always been disastrous for the Chinese, be it communist or democratic. The belief in liberty and democracy has yet to be instilled, and liberty and democracy themselves have to be installed progressively. Westerners always assume that communist or one-party states will always shun the concept of liberty and democracy. But is this always true? If one examines the history for communist Russia or China, he will find that they both possess a despotic past. The same goes to many Eastern Europe countries. One will not understand if he does not live in these countries, that even today, the remnants of the despotic culture, which involved delicate and enormous array of mindsets and practices, still remain! Can one say that the tyrannical nature in these governments came from ideology such as communism alone? Look at various so-called democratic countries that are employing or have employed authoritarian and tyranny practices before, are they truly democratic and liberal? No politics can stand aloof on purely an ideological ground but not on the specific cultural environment and the actual condition in a society. Time is needed for China to reform, which is already underway, as was once needed for western countries to dispose of tyranny, promote liberty and democracy, and expand civil rights. Was the US truly democratic and liberal in the beginning? For many people it was not. The nation has come a long way. China, on the other hand, has a long way to go.

So what is there for those westerners to be so cynical about? What is there to blame for the current stage we are in? Too much pressure will only cause resentment from the Chinese. Numerous national heroes had fought and died for the cause of freedom, independence and prosperity of the country. What about them? What good have they conscientiously brought to China?

I have read some anti-communist rhetoric from the Cold War period. They were invariably absolute and hostile: they are savage demons, insane and devastating, inhumanely wresting our freedom, rights, property and welfare out of our hands and turning us into slaves; they are completely wrong and evil, and we are on the side of justice and truth. It is totally understandable. However, Khrushchev might have had it right: those people know nothing about communism, nothing but fear. Indeed, communists such as those in China had been irrational and tyrannical. But who gave rise to their grievances and distrust? Their unhappiness stemmed from the hardship they were experiencing, grievances burgeoned on the ground of social inequity, hatred fueled by the very injustice and oppression, which were once sought to eliminate by people endorsing liberty and democracy but failed. So are they so irrational to believe in Marx? Are they so unforgivable for turning to extreme? Are they so wrong in carrying the fear of sabotage and sapping on their enterprise from foreign powers too far? Even the American had once desecrated individual rights in the face of danger of espionage and sedition. So you think you are on the moral high-ground? Think again.

I do believe many westerners are altruistically feeling sorry for us when they heard the reports on downtrodden groups, social injustice and government oppression in China, which is almost the only way they get to know what life in China is like for many of them. However, their governments are not so altruistic. Their motives can never be pure. This is nearly an established fact. Whatever liberty, human rights protection and democracy we deem necessary we have to strive for ourselves, without too much meddling in from layman in Chinese internal affairs. Help is certainly appreciated. But boycotting Beijing Olympiad is not help; it is about hurting Chinese feelings! The memory of humiliation and bully in recent history has not yet faded away. And on this occasion where China can host such and important international event that can make the entire nation proud, will they be happy with another humiliation? Isn’t there a danger of provoking defiance? The Chinese sentiments, though weird they may seem, must be addressed, especially in an era in which they rebuild their pride. Christian civilization LOVES to impose their value system and ideologies on other people, typically as conquerors. However, this won’t work on Chinese. Rather, the preaching will be regarded too presumptuous.

After all, the Chinese is an obstinate people.

(Well, I don't actually feel that strongly about the issue, but this is nonetheless one viewpoint I can give.)