Re: "Slave State?"

[Jonathan Lassen <jjlassen@chinastudygroup.org>]

I missed the debate and the spin last night, thanks for mentioning this.

Coulter's rhetoric is a bit overblown, but I don't think her sentiment 
is completely over the top. Slavery is the typical case of the absence 
of freedom, and this is a common trope for both wings of the US state 
and in common discourse as well. The AFL-CIO's case that China is 
engaging in unfair trade is also the absence of bourgeious freedoms in 
China, and  you hear stuff like this ad nauseum in the press of the 
'free world.'

The idea of 'generalized slavery' in 'Oriental despotism' is a 
strikingly common idea in European thought, from Montesquieu on. This is 
the secret history of the discourse on 'civil society' in China.

Cheers,

Jonathan

Alaricvisi@aol.com wrote:

> Did any of you hear Republican cheerleader Ann Coulter condemn trade 
> with China because "China is a slave state" on CNN last night? Is this 
> an actual element of extreme right-wing dogma, or is it just a product 
> of her own unique blend of hubris and 'enthusiasm' (to put it lightly)?
>  
> Her next claim was that anyone who talks about affirmative action for 
> anyone but black people is a racist, so I certainly hope that she 
> doesn't actually speak for anyone...
>  
> Sorry if this question is inappropriate for this list; if so, I will 
> certainly refrain from asking similar questions in the future.
>  
> Joe