"DEMOCRACY IS A GOOD THING" ARTICLE IGNITES DEBATE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 BEIJING 000620

SIPDIS

SIDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/26/2032
TAGS: PGOV PHUM KCUL SOCI CH
SUBJECT: "DEMOCRACY IS A GOOD THING" ARTICLE IGNITES DEBATE
AMONG CHINESE MEDIA, SCHOLARS

REF: A. FBIS CPP20070108332001


B. 06 BEIJING 24430

Classified By: Political Section Acting Internal Unit Chief Chris Klein
. Reasons 1.4 (b/d).


1. (C) An article in the influential weekly Study
Times strongly endorsing democracy as "the best"
political system has stimulated sharp discussion in
Chinese media and intellectual circles. Our contacts
speculated that "Democracy Is a Good Thing," by
progressive scholar and author Yu Keping, is a trial
balloon meant to create a positive atmosphere for
(modest) political reform at the 17th Party Congress
this fall. The Propaganda Department has handed down
no guidelines on how to handle the article or the
dynamic public discussion that has followed. Such
discourse should not be seen as a harbinger of growing
openness, media insiders said, as censors are
redoubling efforts to keep a lid on controversial
content. An editor at Study Times told us that one
aim of printing "Democracy Is a Good Thing" was to
create Internet buzz. In this respect, the paper has
succeeded, as colorful commentary about the piece has
filled online forums. End Summary.

"The Best Political System"
--------------


2. (C) "Democracy Is a Good Thing" appeared in the in
the December 25, 2006 edition of Study Times, an
influential weekly published by the Central Party
School (CPS) that has consistently presented a
reformist editorial slant. The author, Yu Keping, is
head of a progressive Party-affiliated think-tank
called the Center for Comparative Politics and
Economics and is a prominent advocate for political
openness in China. Based on Yu's book by the same
name, the piece is brief and straightforward. It
opens with the declaration, "Democracy is a good
thing." After outlining democracy's merits and
shortcomings, Yu contends that it is "so far the best
political system in human society." The article goes
on to emphasize that a healthy democracy gives its
citizens a say in the decisions that affect their
lives. At the same time, veiled criticisms of China's
current system dot the text. Economic advancement
alone does not make for a perfect society, Yu argues,
writing that "Even if people have the best food,
clothing, housing and transportation means but have no
democratic rights, then people still do not have
complete human dignity." Near the end of the article,
Yu argues that "if the government mainly relies on
coercive means to force the people to accept a system
they do not select themselves, then that is a domestic
tyranny."

Media Maelstrom
--------------


3. (C) The Mainland media have taken "Democracy Is a
Good Thing" and sprinted with it. Although staid
Party organs such as The People's Daily and the
Guangming Daily are ignoring it and have printed no
reaction pieces, several influential weeklies, notably
Southern Weekend, Oriental Outlook and China Newsweek,
have been vocal in their support for Yu Keping's
arguments, giving pride of place to opinion pieces
praising the article. The high-circulation China
Newsweek's lead editorial in its January 15 edition
delivered a ringing endorsement, stating that one of
the lessons of the recent smash hit "Rise of the Great
Powers" television miniseries (ref B) is that
democracy and rule of law are part of what makes a
great power truly great. "'Democracy Is a Good Thing'
once again raises the most important question
concerning the future of the nation," the editorial
concluded. "All responsible Chinese people should be
thinking about it."

An Influential Bellwether
--------------


4. (C) That Study Times, which has a subscription-
only circulation of just over 2 million, has published
such a story should come as no surprise, said Deng
Yuwen (protect),a staff editor. Beyond its CPS
affiliation, Study Times enjoys high-level backing,
said Deng, particularly from Zheng Bijian and the
China Reform Forum, the quasi-governmental think-tank
that Zheng heads. The editor in chief, Zhou Weiming,

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is an open-minded advocate for more political openness
in China. Deng said the publication of "Democracy Is
a Good Thing" is in keeping with Study Times' role as
"a theoretical paper, one where we float political
ideas with a view to generating discussion and
debate." He added that the newspaper aims its content
primarily at two audiences: a) foreign observers of
China, in order to give a sense of what is going on
among the most influential Party scholars; and b) "our
adversaries within the country," Deng said, meaning
conservative elements who might oppose expanding
reforms. Without elaborating, he said former
Government officials who retain influence are
particular targets.

Goal: To Create a Stink
--------------


5. (C) The timing of the article was not left to
chance, conjectured Wu Jiaxiang (protect),an author
and former aide to Hu Yaobang and Zhao Ziyang who
maintains connections with current officialdom. In
Wu's view, the Study Times piece amounts to a trial
balloon meant to test, and perhaps set, the climate in
the run-up to the 17th Party Congress this fall. Wu
described editor in chief Zhou as wanting to "create a
stink," or stimulate discussion among people with
differing viewpoints, especially online. If the
voices backing Yu's article drown out negative
reactions, then it will help create a positive
atmosphere for political reform, Wu said.
Nonetheless, he cautioned that it is important to keep
Yu's piece in perspective. The kind of reform being
discussed does not involve sweeping change to the
system. Rather, Wu theorized that senior leadership
is focusing on two limited areas. One is intra-Party
democracy, that is, slowly introducing a system in
which Party members compete for certain positions and
where ordinary Party members participate in decision
making. The other reform push would center around
expanding grass-roots democracy, permitting government
elections to jump a level or perhaps more, from the
village to the township and beyond.

Propaganda Department Stays Mum ...
--------------


6. (C) The Propaganda Department has handed down no
guidelines on how to handle the piece and the ensuing
media commotion, said Zhou Qing'an, Assistant
Professor at Tsinghua University's School of
Journalism and Communications and a free lance writer.
Both the Study Times piece and the China Newsweek
article flirt with the censors' red line but do not
cross it, he assessed. Were either article to give
specific examples of a lack of democracy hurting a
society or more democracy helping chieve progress, it
would almost certainly atract unwelcome attention
from the authorities Deng of Study Times peculated
that if "emocracy Is a Good Thing" had appeared in
the opinion pages of a large circulation daily such as
The Beijing News, which has regularly teste the
censors with controversial content, it might have set
off alarm bells among Propaganda authorities. But
Study Times so far has had no repercussions from the
Propaganda Department, Deng confirmed, noting that the
paper has traditionally enjoyed more leeway to run
sensitive stories than other papers.

... But Controls Remain In Place
--------------


7. (C) Even against the backdrop of open discourse on
an inherently sensitive topic such as democracy, our
contacts said they expect no imminent relaxation of
controls as preparations for the 17th Party Congress
progress. "It is a sensitive time," Zhou said,
remarking that the Central Propaganda Department is
under pressure to perform well as the political
jockeying heats up. Deng of Study Times commented
that the Propaganda Department is now taking a two-
pronged approach to controls. On one hand, censors
are increasingly issuing prescriptive guidelines at
the beginning of the year or, in some cases, the
month, presenting editors with lists of verboten
topics and guidance on handling sensitive
anniversaries or other events. On the other hand, the
old system remains in place of individual officials
keeping an eye on publications and issuing reprimands
after the appearance of content they deem
inappropriate. The results of the censors' enhanced

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approach have been mixed. While print outlets more or
less continue to color within the lines, "no one can
control the Internet," Deng remarked.

Vibrant Internet Commentary
--------------


8. (C) Mindful of this, editors at Study Times hoped
"Democracy Is a Good Thing" would stimulate animated
online discussion, Deng said. Their wish has come
true. Chat room debate has flourished, with the
Mighty Nation forum hosting vibrant, occasionally
pointed, back and forth. "I have a bit more to say to
the Central Government," one netizen wrote.
"Democracy is a good thing and leftism is a bad
thing." In response, one forum participant shot back,
"Dumb fools speak in such simple terms." As a rule,
however, the bulk of the postings have been favorable.
"Of course democracy is a good thing," one chatter
wrote in a typical entry. "Supervision and courts are
much better than tyranny."
SEDNEY