1. China is still, well, “Communist”... By Tom Tierney
11 December 2010
The Nobel Peace Prize this year was awarded to Liu Xiaobo, Chinese author of a pro-democracy
manifesto and currently residing in jail in China for his “ideas”. Joseph Stalin had been famously quoted
as once saying: “Ideas are more powerful than guns. We would not let our enemies have guns, why
should we let them have ideas?” Apparently, the Chinese government agrees.
The United States of America was founded on an idea: “We hold these truths to be self-evident that all
men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights; that
among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” The People’s Republic of China apparently is
founded on the fear of ideas, a government in fear of its citizens.
I work in a field called “angel investment” where we invest capital in small “startup” companies. We
invest in people called “entrepreneurs”: we invest in them and their ideas. I’ve frequently heard
entrepreneurs say they have filed or are considering filing for a “Chinese patent”. Aside from the poor
intellectual property enforcement in China, I consider the phrase “Chinese patent” an oxymoron for
another reason: in a country like China where basic human rights are not protected for its citizens, why
would someone expect any respect or protection for intellectual property of a company, a corporate
entity?
My hope is that as the Chinese middle class grows in their current “pseudo-capitalistic” state, their thirst
for ideas increases. More affluence will buy more “things” but it won’t buy their freedom. Most
Chinese will long for what we take granted here in the United States: freedom of religion, freedom of
speech, assembly and the freedom to peacefully protest against your government without the fear of
being jailed or run over by a tank.
I believe the Chinese Communist Party is on an inevitable march into the “dustbin of history”, as Ronald
Reagan called it. My hope is that China eventually obtains a government worthy of its people, one
founded in basic human freedom and unafraid of “ideas”.
A country is considered great because of its ideas, not its fear of them.
Tom Tierney lives in Encinitas, CA and is a member of Tech Coast Angels (www.techcoastangels.com).
Also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tech_coast_angels for more background information on the TCA.