China is still, well, “Communist”... By Tom Tierney

11 December 2010

The Nobel Peace Prize this year was awarded to Liu Xiaobo, Chinese author of a pro-democracy

manifesto and currently residing in jail in China for his “ideas”. Joseph Stalin had been famously quoted

as once saying: “Ideas are more powerful than guns. We would not let our enemies have guns, why

should we let them have ideas?” Apparently, the Chinese government agrees.

The United States of America was founded on an idea: “We hold these truths to be self-evident that all

men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights; that

among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” The People’s Republic of China apparently is

founded on the fear of ideas, a government in fear of its citizens.

I work in a field called “angel investment” where we invest capital in small “startup” companies. We

invest in people called “entrepreneurs”: we invest in them and their ideas. I’ve frequently heard

entrepreneurs say they have filed or are considering filing for a “Chinese patent”. Aside from the poor

intellectual property enforcement in China, I consider the phrase “Chinese patent” an oxymoron for

another reason: in a country like China where basic human rights are not protected for its citizens, why

would someone expect any respect or protection for intellectual property of a company, a corporate

entity?

My hope is that as the Chinese middle class grows in their current “pseudo-capitalistic” state, their thirst

for ideas increases. More affluence will buy more “things” but it won’t buy their freedom. Most

Chinese will long for what we take granted here in the United States: freedom of religion, freedom of

speech, assembly and the freedom to peacefully protest against your government without the fear of

being jailed or run over by a tank.

I believe the Chinese Communist Party is on an inevitable march into the “ash heap of history”, as

Ronald Reagan called it. My hope is that China eventually obtains a government worthy of its people,

one founded in basic human freedom and unafraid of “ideas”.

A country is considered great because of its ideas, not its fear of them.

Tom Tierney lives in Encinitas, CA and is a member of Tech Coast Angels (www.techcoastangels.com).

Also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tech_coast_angels for more background information on the TCA.