I remain convinced that the answer for China in many respects relates to the need for workers there to be able to retain more value for the work they provide. This is what the government needs in order to be more secure in the short term, it is what those who want progress and political change there needs and it is what the workers need. In many respects the conflicts you seem to believe are at the heart of this are not quite as clear. The well-being of the people, the short term interest of the government and the long term viability of future reforms all rely on the same things. Western help for China therefore, should come in a greater willingness to buy products not based on exploitation, to pay what things are worth rather than demand slave wages from workers there that would be illegal here. If we were willing to pay twice as much for an LCD TV constructed where the workers and the environment did not suffer, then I am sure the Chinese would be happy to make it for us under those conditions.
There is a reason the CPC in China retains in power-- ask any Chinese and they know it: it is the widespread belief that it can provide more stability and progress towards the future they want to see. While elections may not be as clear cut a mechanism there as here, the Chinese government is tolerated so long as it delivers progress and better living standards.
Canadians who wish to criticize need to recognize the impact of a per capita income less than a tenth of ours and how that affects national priorities.
I agree with this view totally.
Their elections do form the base for the government. The one ruling party system they live under is very strange to my eyes. There are multiple parties but only one party may rule. When I saw a program on China's school system I realized that the way into the ruling party was on what the Fraser Institute would call merit. The high school students with the best scores on the nation wide exams are invited to not only attend the best schools in their area of excellence they are all invited into the ranks of the party. Their structure channels the best and brightest into the party that under their constitution is deemed to be the ruling party.
I have seen video of their Deputies putting forward proposals on the environment every bit as progressive as we hear in the House. In the end the inner circles of the elite make the decisions in both our countries.