Tom Fudge: Among the modern, industrialized countries of the world, China seems to us like a contradiction. How can such an economically advanced country be so backward when it comes to insuring the rights of its citizens? Perhaps there's a prejudice, on our part, that wealth, productivity, and the rule of law go hand-in-hand. So far, that's not been the case in China. One common characteristic of dictatorships is that laws are not meant to provide fairness and justice for all people. They exist to be tools of the elites, as they seek to solidify their power and keep opponents in their place.
That said, things in China have changed since the days of Mao Tse-tung and the cultural revolution. But how long will it take for China to join the ranks of the world's law-abiding, progressive nations?
Jerome Cohen will give a talk on "Is There Law in China? Is There Justice?" Tuesday, March 4th at 7p.m. in the Robinson Auditorium at UCSD. The event is free and open to the public.
Guest
- Professor Jerome Cohen , senior American expert on East Asian law at New York University School of Law , adjunct senior fellow for Asia studies at the Council on Foreign Relations , and a Chinese law expert.
