Paper: GS – II, Subject: International Relations, Topic: Global issues, Issue: China model for the world.
Context:
Recent decades show the rise of an alternative in the form of China’s development model, which prioritises growth and stability over individual freedoms. This model is gaining traction worldwide, challenging the supremacy of Western liberal ideals.
Key Highlights:
Western Model:
End of History Thesis:
- Propounded by Francis Fukuyama in the 1990s, Liberal democracy and free markets entail “final form of human government.”
- It encouraged states to adopt rule of law, electoral democracy, and market reforms.
Washington Consensus:
- Post-Cold War era saw Western liberal democracy and Washington Consensus in the form of free markets, fiscal discipline, privatisation, and free trade dominate global order.
- Core principles are fiscal discipline, trade liberalisation, privatisation, openness to foreign investment.
- Promoted by IMF and World Bank, especially during debt crises.
Challenges to the Western order:
- 2008 Global Financial Crisis undermined Western economic superiority. Governments bailed out banks, contradicting free-market principles.
- Growing inequalities in liberal democracies weakened the appeal of the Western model.
The Rise of the China Model:
- Economic Transformation:
- China emerged as the 2nd largest economy (2009) and largest exporter and trading superpower.
- Advocates state capitalism with a strong state role in economy and selective market reforms.
- Political Dimension:
- Prioritises stability, development, and national sovereignty over liberal rights.
- Rejects “Western interference” in domestic politics and promotes collective prosperity vs. individual freedoms.
- Strategic Influence:
- Alternative to Western aid in the form of Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), investments in Global South.
- Soft power through development assistance and infrastructure financing.
- Authoritarian regimes see China as a model to sustain growth without political liberalisation.
Implications for Global Order:
Shift in Norms:
- Increasing acceptance of development-first governance.
- Many countries adopting authoritarian-capitalist hybrids such as economic growth and restricted freedoms.
Erosion of Liberal Democracy:
- Even within democracies like India & US, state surveillance, restrictions, and populism mirror authoritarian trends.
- Rising protectionism and nationalism undermine global free-market order.
Geopolitical Contestation:
- US containment policies such as trade wars, tech bans reflect anxiety about China’s rise.
- China offers an alternative pole of attraction for developing nations tired of Western conditionalities.
India’s Position:
- India traditionally aligned with democratic values, but also practices state-led development.
- It needs to balance between Western liberal order (strategic partnerships with US, EU) and Pragmatic engagement with China-led initiatives in Global South.
- India’s model of democratic governance and development state could act as a third pathway.
Conclusion:
The China model of growth-first, freedom-later is emerging as a global consensus, especially in the Global South. The West’s challenge is not only containing China but also revitalising its own democratic and economic model. For India, this moment offers both risks and opportunities to shape a hybrid development path balancing democracy with rapid growth.
https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/the-world-is-following-the-china-model-10267422
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