Posted on 08/28/2019 7:11:42 PM PDT by MarvinStinson
'They’ve done a lot of things for their people'
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I., Vt.) declared that communist China has done more to alleviate poverty than any country in history during a Tuesday appearance on HILL TV’s Rising.
Granting that it is unfortunate that China is "moving" toward authoritarianism instead of democratic governance, the presidential candidate argued its record on poverty is the best in the world.
"China is a country that is moving, unfortunately, in a more authoritarian way in a number of directions," Sanders said. "But what we have to say about China in fairness to China and its leadership is, if I’m not mistaken, they have made more progress in addressing extreme poverty than any country in the history of civilization. So they’ve done a lot of things for their people."
Sanders had just finished denouncing "far-right authoritarian leaders" such as President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, both elected leaders of liberal democratic nations, when he was asked about China at the 10:27 mark of the episode. HILL TV host Krystal Ball asked Sanders about his prior statement that normalizing trade relations with China would be devastating for America.
"Their economy now is struggling but I think it is absolutely possible for us to have a positive working relationship with China," Sanders said. He argued the problem with Chinese trade is that it benefits the wealthy too much, since companies can outsource labor to China where wages are lower.
He did not address how China’s communist government has oppressed religious people and minorities, putting at least one million Uighur Muslims in concentration camps while instituting one of the most comprehensive surveillance states in history. In China, the Communist Party requires all religions to pledge ultimate loyalty to President Xi Jinping, who is atop a one-party system that does not allow political opposition.
While Sanders did say trade with China is potentially bad for workers because of labor competition, he did not address China's violations of trade rules, such as intellectual property theft. As a socialist, Sanders has been a vocal opponent of free trade for decades.
But Sanders said he would "take a stand" against the Communist Party’s designs for Hong Kong, a former province of the British Empire that is now part of China but has special status.
"You gotta make a very strong statement that we in the United States—this is certainly not the case with Donald Trump—but historically at least, and under a Bernie Sanders presidency, we stand for democracy and we stand for human rights and we will do everything that we can to prevent oppressive governments from forcefully denying people their democratic rights."
Hongkongers have freedoms not enjoyed on the mainland, but the police have brutally suppressed recent protests, and many are concerned China will use the military to put down political dissent in the city.
Living standards in China are inferior to those of its democratic neighbors Japan and South Korea, but their economy has grown in recent years as it has instituted more capitalist structures in its economy. Contrary to what Sanders said, it has not been "moving" toward authoritarian government, but rather has long had it. Its founding leader Mao Zedong was responsible for an estimated 35-45 million deaths in the 20th century, and even after he died, political dissent was suppressed repeatedly, most notably at Tiananmen Square.
In China, information is rigidly controlled regarding topics such as Tiananmen and Mao’s Cultural Revolution.
I know several people who travel frequently to China, and get to see what the life of the actual workers is really like. Sanders is full of s**t.
The Soviets cured poverty with all the kulaks. They starved them all to death after taking all of their grain.
Let’s leave the contraversial question of massacre aside but alleviation of poverty is not something to be proud of in recent years. Actual records indicate cultivation of poverty since LBJ at home and the same policy abroad since GBI.
One major reason India has less poverty is because Americans are buying products and services from India.
One major reason Vietnam has less poverty is because Americans are buying products from Vietnam.
Without trade and technology from the United States the citizens of China would not have nearly the increases in income that they achieved over the last 30 years.
Pssst....what about the USA? I’m pretty sure the poorest poverty stricken people in the US live like kings compared to the poorest poverty stricken in china.
Everything you say is true and it really pains me to hear that maniac say the Communist China has found a solution to poverty.
Check the facts, Bernie the boob, poverty evaporates when Capitalism is able to show the way.
How I try without success to despise this raving lunatic.
The US consumer and Walmart solved the poverty in China.
All valid points. More wealth in one place and more poverty in another.
This what the socialist sob is saying is virtuous in China:
https://www.facebook.com/2100123926984430/posts/2269574113372743?sfns=mo
It’s a movie about the mass abortions in China
It seems like we finally have a political leader who realizes that manufacturing and business opportunities for Americans matter to our nation.
As you noted the social/political policies of LBJ and others that weakened families also helped create more poverty here.
If any nation can be credited with doing the most to solve poverty worldwide it is the United States of America.
Yes, the Red Chinese are great at growing “cemeteries” and “killing ditches”.
looks like Bernie has defected from Moscow communism to Peking Communism.
Once a red, always a red, and they still smell that way.
Bernie: I’ve gotcha re hypocrisy because three dachas aren’t real communism, just the spoils of the game for authoritarians and psychos.
That is true. Bernie Sanders has some fake utopian view of life in China. Life has dramatically improved for many people, but for many of them only because living in a factory dormitory bunk bed and working 12 hour shifts is way better than toiling on a small farm.
There are certainly many Chinese who have become rich from trade with the west, but they are far from the majority. Many aspects of contemporary Chinese society are not as benign as Bernie suggests they are.
True, but technology makes totalitarianism easier to accomplish and so much more effective.
My lovely wife is from China, she is very happy to be here. She left behind the corruption and government control of your entire life.
I think Lee Harvey Oswald did.
Killed about 100 million of their own people. There was a bimbo in the Obama admin who had Moa as her idol. It is not uncommon on the left. Wear a Che T-shirt. No problem.
By stealing American manufacturing, causing our middle class & working poor to suffer. But they were solely to blame corporations & Wall Street contributed.
Based on what I’ve seen in China, I’d have to agree with Bernie on his specific point. But then again, Mussolini made the trains run on time.
Both China and the former USSR went thru periods of economic “thaw” when theur respective leaders loosened socialism’s tight government controls, and allowed free market capitalism to regain a limited foothold.
They had to.
The workers & peasants were revolting -—because they were starving.
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