Angels and Deamons - reflections from Prof. Rarick

The trip allowed us to look at China’s rise across a variety of industries – from traditional manufacturing to 21^st Century tech services. Regardless of the industry, the message seemed to be the same – the future looks very bright for the People’s Republic of China. We can see rising incomes, more automobiles, better consumer products, more opportunities everywhere. China is certainly a country on the move and in an upward direction. The nagging question still remains concerning issues of freedom, human rights, and transparency. A few days ago a woman was sentenced to one year of hard labor for using twitter (prohibited) to criticize the government. International news is blocked when a segment airs concerning China which is considered negative. People may not carry the Little Red Book of Mao anymore, but one can feel the “groupthink” among the people of China. It will be interesting to see how this country with so much to offer the world balances continued economic growth and individual freedoms.