Sociology

In this paper, I am going to compare and contrast modern day China with modern day Iraq based upon their recent history and current culture.  The different areas that I will look at are their political make-ups, dominant religions, economics and current social issues.  To sum it up, I will analyze my findings and come to a conclusion as to the similarities and differences between these two cultures and briefly discuss where each civilization is headed.

China and Iraq are two civilizations that have undergone a lot of change in the last fifty years.  China is constantly dealing with old traditions versus new philosophies and since the fall of the Soviet Union, has suffered somewhat of an identity crisis.  Their economy and industry has picked up steam and has been somewhat of a silver lining, however, there still are many issues under the surface that need to be addressed if they are to continue to prosper.

Iraq is undergoing a tremendous amount of political unrest and adversity since the United States military occupation and overthrow of Saddam Hussein in 2003.  A new government is in place, however, over 96,000 U.S. troops are still there and the legitimacy of the new government is constantly being tested.

In this essay, I will compare and contrast these two nations by looking at four main areas political structure and philosophy, religion, economics and current social issues.  I will then sum it up by talking about what the future holds for both nations.

In recent history, China has had two different political systems the Peoples Republic of China (PRC) which is based on Chinas mainland, and the Republic of China (ROC) which is the political structure in Taiwan and the surrounding islands. 

The Republic of Iraq was established in 1958 and in 1979 a dictator named Saddam Hussein assumed control of the nation and ruled until the United States overthrow in 2003.  Since then a new constitution has been drawn up and a new government is in place, however, much political unrest exists, as the legitimacy is constantly in question.

The Peoples Republic of China is a one party, socialist system run by the Chinese Communist Party and is in control of politics, religion, and the press among other things.  There arent many freedoms for the people within this system as the government dictates pretty much everything.

From 1968 to 2003, Iraq was basically a one-party dictatorship under the control of the Baath party.  At first the party support was thin, however, their dominance was secured only by instituting a reign of terror  a series of trials, executions, and arrests, reminiscent of the Stalin era  that became a hallmark of the regime. (Marr, pg. 139)

Saddam Husseins regime was notorious for its human rights violations however, it also gained some legitimacy with its people through its socialistic economics.  The state provided education, health care and jobs for its people at a greater rate than any previous regime.  Economically, Saddams regime was superior to the rest in the Middle East and this, along with violent measures, kept the people from revolting. 

Although China is Communist and Iraq is a Dictatorship, they are both similar in that the people within the nation do not have many freedoms and rely upon their government for their basic needs.
The Republic of China, however, which governs Taiwan, is a multi-party democratic system that has attempted to maintain a separate identity from mainland China.  However, most nations regard the PRC as Chinas dominant political force and decision -making body even though Taiwan and the surrounding islands govern themselves under the ROC.  They are modeled more after the United States which completely differs from mainland China or Iraq.

Chinas religious history begins mostly with the writings of Confucius from the ancient world.  Confucianism is still around to this day, however, most have moved to Taoism and Buddhism as their main religions.  One common denominator in all of these belief systems is that they stress showing love and respect for family and ancestors. 

Christianity, Islam and Judaism are also prevalent in China but represent a small minority.  However, most people in China consider themselves to be both Taoist andor Buddhist. 
Islam is the dominant religion in Iraq with 97 of the population.  Christianity makes up the remaining 3. 

Even though China and Iraq differ in their religions, they are similar in that one religion is dominant in their culture. 

Economically, both the mainland China and Taiwan compete against each other for their place in the world market.  The PRC is mostly all state run.  The government controls employment and any and all profits.  The government has been reluctant to give up control of the allocation of labor, and a genuine labor market has been slow to develop. (Starr, pg. 94)  Despite stagnant performance and underdevelopment, Chinas PRC is determined to maintain control of their economy.

A major part of Iraqs economy under Saddam was based around the military development.  Weaponry was mass-produced and a lot of their state dollars went into this program.
The ROC, which governs Taiwan, is mostly privately run and enjoys many of the benefits of capitalism that the PRC doesnt allow themselves to experience.  They have seen a lot of growth within the last few years on the economic level, as they have been able to compete with the likes of the United States. 

Some observers believe that China is likely to follow the route of Taiwan and South Korea and other Asian tigers, and will, with economic growth and the emergence of civil society, evolve slowly toward democracy. (Gifford, pg. 244)

Here we have three different economic styles.  Iraq and mainland China are the most similar to each other with a heavy handed government.  However, Iraqs focus is more on military development and Chinas is more domestic development.  Then theres Taiwan, which is modeled after capitalism and has more of a Western feel to it.

Along with the economical differences between the two Chinas other social issues include the constant confliction of the old traditional ways and the new Western ways.  Many of the elders dont want to see things change, however, a lot of the youth want to adopt new beliefs and values.  The challenge facing China is being able to strike a balance between the old and the new.
Iraq is now faced with many social issues due to a new democratic government that was put in place after Saddam was taken out of power.  They are going to struggle to gain an identity and economic status in the world market simply because of all the political unrest that exists.  Many people still believe that the old system was the best, while others want to give democracy an opportunity to work. 

Political leaders have been terrorized and some assassinated.  Fear and terror are common tactics used in the political arena and this is all happening with over 96,000 U.S. troops still in the country.  Anarchy seems to reign supreme on the streets, as there is continuous looting, arson and terrorizing going on making it extremely difficult for local business owners to make a living.  American troops continue to face resistance from former Baath Party loyalists, Islamic fundamentalists, and unemployed Iraqis. (Garrels, pg. 218) 

Another social challenge for China has been the under-funding of industry along with little or no regulation regarding pollutants.  Chinas air and water are in rough shape because of this and its a major problem that they will need to address for the safety of their people. 

What are things going to be like when the American troops leave Iraq  Much work is needed to be done by the people of Iraq in order to establish a legitimate government that can provide for its people and prosper.

Population control has been at the forefront of Chinese policy for awhile with the advent of the one-child policy.  Even with this law in place, Chinas population continues to grow exponentially and is bound to be around 1.5 billion in 2015.  Overpopulation will only bring more health and safety issues, as well as make it difficult to be able to sustain quality of life.

Right now, both nations are at completely different stages but are both in similar situations regarding their economy and social structure.  Iraq is trying to build a new system of democratic governance as China is dealing with an ever-growing democratic influence spurred by the success of the Taiwanese economy.  However, Iraq is in shambles and no real structure is in place, where at least China has a solid social structure.

Both nations are centered around socialism as the dominant political force and even though Iraq is changing to democracy, socialism is still all that most of its people know.  China is struggling with the fact that many of its people would like to see some form of democracy as it is becoming prevalent that the socialistic ideals are only bringing the country down due to inefficiency. 

China and Iraq are both pretty sound by way of their religious beliefs and I dont see that changing much in the future.  Iraq will remain mostly Islamic and China is going to remain mostly Buddhist and Taoist.  This is the one similarity that they both share in that there isnt much question as to the religious dominance.

Both nations are undergoing changes as a move toward democracy is becoming increasingly more and more popular.  China has a lot of room for growth economically and has seen some success in that area.  Iraq is starting from ground zero and may it may take them many years before they can compete in the world market.  In any case, its going to be an uphill battle for both and a lot of work remains to be done if they want to be considered major players in the future.