Today we are going to examine nondemocratic regimes, specifically authoritarianism and totalitarianism. The recent events of the Arab Spring uprisings in the Middle East help to illustrate techniques of authoritarian regimes in maintaining control over the population. In Bahrain, violence surrounds protests celebrating the second anniversary of failed pro-democracy protests that an estimated 10,000 Bahrainis participated in. The ongoing uprising in Syria against the Assad regime is attracting rebels of all kinds in a bid to gain power in a time of violence and uncertainty.
Also, Chinese state-sponsored media responds to the public outcry over the North Korean nuclear tests in an attempt to allay fears about the effects of radiation from their neighbor.
On an entirely unrelated, apocalyptic note, 950 people are injured by a meteor crashing into Russia's Ural Mountains. Seriously.
Meteor shower response: http://www.absolutelyrics.com/lyrics/view/r.e.m./it's_the_end_of_the_world_as_we_know_it_(and_i_feel_fine)
ReplyDeleteIn regards to the North Korean nuclear test, Chinese concern about health and safety from the radiation is not something that should be disregarded. Considering that China exports goods all over the world, it could be a huge health concern if radiation got into items that we may eat. Nothing beneficial comes from nuclear radiation.
ReplyDeleteYou make a very good point. Globalization has made these health concerns not only a problem for the Chinese people but for any country that trades with them. China is now the second largest economy in the world and one of the world's largest manufacturers. Any health issue that could effect the products they make is a major concern for any country that trades with them.
DeleteAfter reading the article about the Chinese response to North Korea's missile launches, I worry about what would happen if NK does launch another nuclear test and lose the support of the Chinese government. China is an essential peace keeper in the region, as it seems foolish for the US to launch an attack against combined forces from both China and North Korea, especially when our economy is closely tied to China's economy. However, if North Korea does lose the support of the Chinese, a future US attack against North Korea does not seem to be out of the picture, which is kind of a scary thought.
ReplyDeleteThis is one of the first times the Chinese people have been obviously troubled about their relationship with NK (and the Chinese government recognized it). it will be very interesting to see what happens if NK continues on this path. Our economic ties with China are definitely a mutually beneficial relationship so we shall see where the line is regarding NK's continued flaunting of their nuclear tests.
DeleteThe meteor shower article was interesting especially because some people thought it was an American weapons test.
ReplyDeleteHowever, the issues surrounding the Middle East are also important because they highlight the violence that can occur when an authoritarian regime refuses to back down in favor of the people.
Another thing to keep in mind is that this is TWO YEARS after a failed uprising. No matter what the regime does it remains difficult to restrain the will of the people for an indefinite amount of time.
DeleteNK should probably try not to upset China, especially if they want to keep putting out propaganda that depicts the US in ruins. And as has been previously mentioned, the last thing we need is for Chinese goods to be contaminated with radiation.
ReplyDeleteThe article about Syria is newsworthy because it demonstrates that the Arab spring is not over yet and it will take time for these government to become stable and legitimate.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=24R8JObNNQ4
DeleteI think many Americans undervalue the importance of china as a stabilizing force in the region. I'm concerned about the stability of the region if china withdrawals support from NK.
ReplyDeleteThe article about Syria is very frightening because the rebels that are using such violent tactics are also the one that want to have power over the population of the nation. If they succeed, this could lead to even more serious international tension between the Middle East and other countries.
ReplyDeleteI find it interesting the fact that the North Korean government would impose a nuclear attack without the regard for health concerns. If what the Chinese government is asserting is true, how are the lives of the North Korean citizens, how would the effects of the nuclear bomb going to affect the Chinese citizens? Knowing that the US is closely tied with the Chinese economy, I believe the US should impose a treatment on this issue from a possibility of a future nuclear warfare.
ReplyDeleteChina should definitely be concerned about health also because radiation can move pretty far and possibly into other countries.
ReplyDeleteThe Chinese government is also having to reassure the public that their country is safe from nuclear contamination, the Beijing News reports. The test site is about 100km away from the borders" - the government has to make their public feel safe if not outcry and protests and such will arise.
ReplyDeleteVia the original article about the "Bahrain Police Officer Killed" article, I noticed another link regarding the Bahrain justice system being under scrutiny. Something that is mentioned in the article is about how there is a a very large difference between the the way police officers are treated and how civilians are treated. One of the examples was of how protesters calling for a republic could be given life in prison whereas an officer who fired repeatedly at an unarmed protested and killed him is only charged with manslaughter and thus only seven years in prison. The way information is obtained is also under scrutiny. One of the main issues was that a lot of "confessions" or information was most likely (and this claims are heavily backed by evidence supposedly) obtained through torture. One of the victims, a woman, even claims that during her torture her blind fold slipped and she noticed the princess (part of the ruling family in Bahrain) torturing her, yet that was not used in court. I think reading this second article provided me with a secondary viewpoint of the Bahrain government instead of the one initially given in the first article.
ReplyDelete