1.
The 18th Chinese Communist Party (CCP) Congress, concluded in mid-November 2012,
selected a new leadership that will guide China for how long?
2.
The new top leadership has seven men forming the Politburo Standing Committee (PBSC).
Can you describe the main leaders and the overall role of this group?
3.
China now has the ___________-largest economy in the world, continues to grow
rapidly and is recognized by most other countries as the second-most what?
4.
The closed policy process has seemed to work, or so the CCP and the leadership
might believe. But while the current policies of the regime have brought many
successes, those policies are coming at growing costs, by stimulating what?
5.
While the CCP and PBSC are likely to protect major interests in the system and
to continue decision making behind closed doors, what feelings are growing among
the Chinese people?
6.
What are leaders doing that are seen as unfair and corrupt?
7.
The CCP blocks popular input in the political system, so ordinary people have no
recourse but to engage in what?
8.
These activities are highly risky in China. Why? What happens to many citizens
who voice their opinions?
9.
Besides the opposing politics of vested interests and popular passions, there is
also a third set representing what might be called a politics of imperatives
pressing in on the new leadership. Respected voices within and outside China are
urgently calling on the leadership to address what issues? What does this new
group argue needs to happen?
10. They are also asserting that China’s environmental degradation is reaching
extreme proportion —what are the main problems affecting the Chinese people?
Class Discussion Questions and Essay Prompts:
·Did
you know about the Chinese political system prior to reading this article?
·
What was your prior knowledge on this subject?
·
What part of this article stood out to you?
·How
does reading about governments in other countries, make you feel about living in
the United States?
“These activities are highly risky — these actions are often violently
suppressed, some protestors have been killed, and demonstration leaders are
sentenced to long prison terms. Yet truly massive numbers of protests take place
every year in China (and the numbers appear to be rapidly growing) because
popular indignation has reached extraordinary levels. So far, the CCP has
managed to contain these protests. But whether — or, perhaps, for how long —
that can continue is a huge unknown…
Even more important for its longevity, the CCP needs to also create mechanisms
by which ordinary people can reflect their concerns to the government and not
have them ignored. These and other imperatives all run up against the politics
of interests and reflect, to a degree, some of the sources of the politics of
passion.”
·
What do you think of how China deals with protests and demonstrations?
·
What do you think will happen if no changes are made in China’s political
system?
Essay:
Do
you believe the current Chinese political leadership will make major policy
changes that improve the deep-rooted corruption and overall treatment of its
citizens? Will they listen to the concerns of their people? Why or why not?
What do you think will happen in China, if the government makes no changes?
Newspaper-related CBA activity: U.S. Policy
How the United States government interacts with the world affects people across
the globe. Analyze and evaluate the causes and effects of US foreign policy on
people in the United States and across the world.
·
Using The Seattle Times e-edition, find an article that deals with world
politics or foreign policy.
·
What are the main points of view from someone living in that particular
country? How is that “view” similar and different than your own opinion,
regarding the specific issue the article is discussing?
·Why is it important to
study and learn about foreign policy? How does it help you understand the world
we live in, using current issues and events?
Civic Minds in The Seattle Times is posted to the Web on Friday. Please share
the NIE program with other teachers. To sign-up for the electronic edition of
the newspaper please call 206/652-6290 or toll-free 1-888/775-2655.
