As we cover types of governmental systems in 2301, the recent stories about Google's problems in China are worth considering. Google has been criticized in the past for its willingness to comply with China's need to censor the news its citizens get. Recent evidence that China has been hacking into Google's accounts has led the company to pull out of the country.
Totalitarian countries, ideally, eliminate any independent source of information their people have access to in order to control -- or attempt to control -- their thoughts. As countries prosper, as China has recently, this becomes more difficult. This is especially true when the country strikes bargains with outside companies in order to provide more creature comforts for their people. This conflict may be indicative of future internal conflicts the country faces.
For now it illustrates for us the need for repressive countries to censor information.
- Google - China Showdown may Alter Tech Game.
- China's totalitarian games - The Boston Globe.
- China Internet Censorship Explained CHINAYOUREN.
- The Golden Shield Project.
- Race to the Bottom.
- The Great Firewall of China.
