Quote Originally Posted by TevashSzat View Post
Okay, that is true, I don't deny it.

Name a civilization that has lasted for any significant amount of time who hasn't done most of these things at once in their history. I have studied US History for quite alot and I can quickly come up a very very long list of things that have rivaled the atrocities of the Chinese Government (Indians and smallpox come to mind here). Imperialistic Europe caused countless hardships in the lives of billions. In fact, the rise of the Communist party is in part due to the European undermining of the nationalist democratic government that caused it to be viewed weak in the minds of the whole country.

In fact, its not just China's economic growth, but the whole world's. So many companies rely on China's cheap labor and sweatshops that the whole world is dependent on China as much as China is dependent on everyone else is.
Chinese athletes aren't competing against the European athletes times of a hundred years ago so why try an essentially unfair comparison of governments out of time sync?

Also with respect to labour, its just that. Labour. Not super skilled design and engineering, it is basic manufacturing. In time the ratios are improving. But labour is found anywhere, and right now a lot of companies are preferring Malaysia, India and Vietnam for their East Asian labour pools. Also Eastern Europe and South America beckon.

I don't think it is anything special that Australia is a quarry and that China is the manufacturers. Neither of us are at the right end of the spectrum compared to engineers, designers and high end consumers.

Nor do I think being the best a thousand years ago counts for much. One must live the life they have now, not the one of their ancestors.

Communist China is growing. Democratic China would flourish.