June was a bleak month on the world democracy stage. Saudi Arabia cracked down on women protesting for the right to drive, while relatively more progressive* Libya showered its female citizens with machine guns and shooting lessons. Syria remains an outright bloody mess. The Greeks, arguably democracy’s inventors, watched their polity slip into virtual receivership.
But all is not lost.
Youth in China, it seems, have embraced at least key facet component of Newfoundland-style democracy.
Young join communist party in bid to land jobs the Toronto Star pg. B3
“I joined because it’ll help when looking for jobs,” said Ling, a 24-year-old student at Beijing’s Renmin University who declined to be identified by her full name because of concern that she will face retribution from the government. “Getting a government job is so hard, but if I got an offer I’d definitely jump for it. My second choice would be state-owned companies”.
Sigh. Almost makes one homesick.
*denotes sarcasm
