Lest we forget, China is a totalitarian state.
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| Chinese Show Trials Still Occur |
I know that sounds obvious, but with the new 'cuddly' feel to China that our politicians encourage us to think, as its economic power grows, and as we approach the Olympics, it sometimes takes a jolting headline to remind us that it's only 30 odd years since Mao died.
I was reminded of this with the headline “China food safety head executed” …. his crime? 'Corruption and dereliction of duty'. The amount involved, a comparatively small 6.5m yuan ($850,000; £425,400) in bribes, which is hardly a death sentence, especially as anecdotal evidence suggests that top communists have made billions of yuan in bribes over land seizures alone.
However the dereliction of duty is a more serious charge, but it appears that a lot of this dereliction went on below the level of the dead man. This story has the chilling feel of a Stalinist, or more properly Maoist show trial, where a person is first denounced, then tried, then shot, and acts as a timely reminder that the rule of law in a communist state, always comes second to the needs of the communist party and government.
Whether it’s correct to impose the death penalty for causing the deaths of others is an argument which I may pursue in another Blog, but whether a man should be killed to send out a state message against corruption is not an argument I can support.
I mention this because the reasons given by the state for his death were quoted as being that Zheng Xiaoyu had "brought shame" on the department, adding that anyone abusing their power would be punished. Not a mention of the deaths, but a concern over loss of face. Finally the other concern was that exports might suffer because of loss of confidence in Chinese drugs and foods.
When you watch the Beijing Olympics, remember that the smoke and mirrors that make it appear a glittering success, are built on real bloodshed and showcase executions, not too different from those of North Korea or an Islamist regime.
However the dereliction of duty is a more serious charge, but it appears that a lot of this dereliction went on below the level of the dead man. This story has the chilling feel of a Stalinist, or more properly Maoist show trial, where a person is first denounced, then tried, then shot, and acts as a timely reminder that the rule of law in a communist state, always comes second to the needs of the communist party and government.
Whether it’s correct to impose the death penalty for causing the deaths of others is an argument which I may pursue in another Blog, but whether a man should be killed to send out a state message against corruption is not an argument I can support.
I mention this because the reasons given by the state for his death were quoted as being that Zheng Xiaoyu had "brought shame" on the department, adding that anyone abusing their power would be punished. Not a mention of the deaths, but a concern over loss of face. Finally the other concern was that exports might suffer because of loss of confidence in Chinese drugs and foods.
When you watch the Beijing Olympics, remember that the smoke and mirrors that make it appear a glittering success, are built on real bloodshed and showcase executions, not too different from those of North Korea or an Islamist regime.
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