Originally Posted by smallpox

You don't get it, democracy IS the way to sustainable economic growth and to fix social problems. Authoritarianism can do it faster in the short run but runs out of breath in the long run. Reasons are simple; authoritarianism does not encourage critical thinking -- thus innovation. An authoritarian state is one that lives a step behind the innovations of free societies. China, South Korea, Japan, Germany, they all did nothing more than what foreign companies told them to manufacture or copying what foreign companies were making and selling it at a lower price when critical thinking was lacking in the government form. If you want China to have an economy that benefits some but disadvantages the same amount, that lives off cheap labour, that's always a step behind everyone...then call for authoritarianism. Second, the centralized authority just sees one thing; the greater picture of economic growth -- it does not preoccupy them much how many peasants and fisherman lose their water supplies, land and thus living, because they're in God knows where, can't really voice their opinions, can't vote against it, and the state is unaccountable for its action. Subsequently you have whole villages devastated for a few factories.
If only there was some way to determine if the new factory in the village would end up benefiting most, or harming most.......ah yes! vote on it. It won't mean a civil war, it'll just let people make the most rational decision for themselves. They know better than anyone else in Beijing.
Why is there so much opposition to such a sensible solution? I say national pride against whatever is perceived to be "western".