- The topic is a simple assertion of what one might call a dictator who suppresses democratic norms accepted throughout the civilized world. Most importantly, a leader who is expected to uphold the independence and freedom of citizens while abusing their rights cannot be called a dictator. The modern world is becoming more aware of the benefits of democratic governance over other forms of governance such as aristocratic, dictatorial, authoritarian, military, and anarchistic administration. No wonder successful democracies around the world are admired by citizens who are subject to despotic rulers.
PC: Josh Poak
- Of course, a few countries around the world wish to position themselves as advanced but are governed by authoritarian or single-party rulers who leave no opportunity to assert themselves without regard for citizens’ rights or freedom. Look no further than what China has to offer. A ruler who has extended his reigns in an unprecedented move to remain at the helm almost indefinitely. In this context, US Vice President Joe Biden recently made an intriguing remark at a San Francisco fundraiser. And it’s unlike anything we’ve seen before. He deviated from the script and let it all hang out, as the Americans say. Joe called China’s president a dictator in a verbal smackdown. The US president was correct: Xi Jinping is a dictator.
- Beijing, predictably, was not amused by the US president’s off-the-cuff remark. The Chinese foreign ministry’s bristling response, demonstrating a distinct lack of the Confucian ideal of harmony, was to describe Biden’s remark as extremely absurd and irresponsible. Dictators are always enraged when they are referred to as dictators. And keep in mind that the more dictatorial they are, the crazier they become. These men—and, predictably, dictators are mostly men—go to great lengths to describe themselves and the countries they rule over with an iron fist. The People’s Republic of China is Communist China, and Xi is its president. Everything is very nice, with no hints of anything bad, like the dictatorship. However, the reality on the ground is quite different.
PC: File Photo
- If you ask what will happen to a Chinese who holds a press conference and calls Xi names, you simply do not understand that such things do not occur in a people’s republic. Consider the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, also known as North Korea, which is arguably the world’s most terrifying dictatorship. But the Kims, who have ruled North Korea and redefined governance as a combination of missiles and military parades, have never referred to themselves as dictators—how could they when the country is a democratic people’s republic? Across geographies, history is replete with examples of seriously ruthless regimes led by seriously terrifying dictators who have given themselves sweet-sounding, innocuous titles and their countries soothing names. A dictator will continue to be a dictator.
