China Law Blog

This is like commending a functional drunk for only getting drunk on the weekends: Sure the schools were built and yes, the corrupt officials may have had the wherewithal to leave enough not to call attention to themselves but the end result is now there are a whole lot of children dead. Corruption occurs in China not as a result of mismanagement in other developing countries and the comparison –which is the lynchpin in Mr. Spencer’s argument – provides no productive or meaningful explanation of China’s successes or failures any more so than China’s handling of the earthquake can compare to Myanmar’s mismanagement of their cyclone disaster.
The Chinese are generally resourceful and resilient. Their ability to build schools in such abundance cannot be defined by the tempered hand of a corrupt official (sounds like Ah Q Jingshen to me); instead, it was the ability to organize and rally resources as the Chinese have on many occasions shown themselves to be rather deft at, that built the schools. The fact that the schools collapsed is a testament of cutting corners that could have been the result of corruption or perhaps another problem that China is gradually becoming aware, which is paying for cost and not quality.
His argument baffles me: evil is always around us and nothing is rarely equal so let’s pretend we can choose between the lesser of these two evils, and that if we choose to believe the Maoists were uncorrupt (as he has a problem with doing himself), then the choice is easy: strive for mediocrity. It reminds me of the Monster.com commercial from a few years ago when the kid says: “I want to work my way all the way up to middle management!”

Great comment by Scriptorium. I hear you on the African minister. That's why I laugh when I hear Brad Pitt say that the west could end poverty in Africa if we only wished it (i.e., if we gave more money to Africa). No matter how much money the west and aid agencies send to Africa, the corrupt politicos will steal it. The NGOs have to physically shepherd the aid all the way to the village, otherwise it's gone. Even then, you're just talking about stopping people from starving to death. Real improvement in Africa will only come from foreign investment and that will only come from a lessening in corruption.

The schools were built despite corruption. The schools probably fell down and kids died because of corruption. You don't need to be Einstein to work that out. Let me explain the formula for you. The Central Government said build more schools. The local governments said OK. The local governments then said we'll take a kick back, Mr Construction Company, but don't worry we'll turn a blind eye to the quality and safety issues.

Why do you think so many ordinary Chinese folks are angry about what happened? Because corruption works? Don't think so.

Richard Spencer is wrong and, as a good lawyer, you should be taking him to task rather than promoting his drivel.

I can't believe that this point is genuinely being put forward as 'oh well, you've got to look on the bright side and haven't they done well in the circumstances'. All those schools that have been built were in an area where there are known earthquakes and the 'skim off' would have been well in excess of what it would have required to make them safe, hence a tidy profit for involved, thanks very much (just don't be a kid). And now you're saying that corruption, in the long run, means they will all gain? You've completely lost your mind. Seriously, you need your head examined to the extent that if I were you, I would be tempted to go back to high school and start with ethics and philosophy. The 'practical' approach has lured you in until you have no idea of the difference now. You're an utter cretin.

Of course the eventual goal is to have the rule of law enforced in China, but I do think the point is valid. There are probably hundreds of thousands of students in China who went through the educational system in shoddy schools, who luckily weren't victims of any disasters. Of course, no one is doubting the terrible consequences of when there are such disasters, but I don't know if it's even realistic for China to churn out school buildings up to par with Western standards overnight.. on the whole, it's better for the future of a country with badly built schools than no schools at all. Baby steps.. that's how you improve.