China has made tremendous strides with its economy, particularly in the areas of manufacturing, technology and education. Yet China has resisted political change. The harsh efficiency of their system relies on suppressing dissent. Real debate is not tolerated.
Accordingly, Chinese officials are terrified by social media sites like Twitter and Facebook. They’ve seen what can happen in places like Iran, where resistance can spread exponentially with the power of Web 2.0 tools. , and there’s no end in sight.
Yet these repressive tactics will have a negative effect on China’s economic development. Twitter and Facebook are exploding in popularity in the U.S. and around the world. The collaborative nature of these tools presents incredible opportunities for businesses, entrepreneurs and educators. By blocking these tools, China is falling behind.
How long can this last? I suspect their finger in the damn strategy is doomed to failure.
