Take an hour, treat and invest in your own personal growth, and enjoy this video – click HERE – of Minxin Pei and Eric Li’s debate on China and democracy at the Aspen Ideas Festival.
Their debate is efficiently and effectively moderated by James Fallows, famed China observer and writer for The Atlantic and author of the wonderful big picture introductory book on China, Postcards from Tomorrow’s Square.
Fascinating debate between two bright lights and minds that is worth watching. In just this one simple hour – if you focus and really watch and listen closely – you will learn more about China and even some of your own biases and notions (on both sides of the debate), than you may learn in the various courses, seminars or workshops you can take that focus on China. In other words, the amount of ground this video covers and the number of disciplines it touches on and weaves together, including business, is impressive.
And don’t blow off the Q & A session in the last half of the video. The Q & A is equally good and some of the session’s best “meat” is found in the excellent questions posed by the audience and the panelists’ insightful answers.
By the way, after watching the full video which panelist do you agree with – Minxin Pei or Eric Li – and why?
This was a fantastic and insightful debate between two very intelligent people with opposing idealogies. As an American and true believer in the Democratic system I leaned more Pei’s opinions about China’s political state and upcoming downturn. However, Li’s comments helped me understand more fully what China really is and what it has been for past 50-60 years. China’s population is astronomical to the point that none of us American born citizens can really understand how big it really is. Dismantling an entire political system and reshaping it to mirror western governments would take decades and is that really what is right for China? Granted, progress and reform is absolutely necessary as it is necessary in every political system. What worked 20 years ago will not necessarily work today. It will be interesting to see China’s progress or lack there of in next 10-15 years. As a future international businessman, I can only hope that China gets its act together. Only time will tell……