White House says Bush will push Khai for Vietnam’s human rights

White House spokesman Scott McClellan today promised that President Bush tomorrow will urge Vietnam dictator Phan Van Khai to liberalize Vietnam’s political system.

“This will be an opportunity to talk about religious freedom and human rights concerns as well. There are some steps that have been taken by Vietnam, but there are concerns that remain,” McClellan said.

As a follower of the “all or nothing” school of democracy, I’m always dubious when someone says a dictatorship has allowed some political freedoms, but not others. In general, dictators know that allowing and protecting any political freedom means the dictatorship is over. This is why you never really see dictators take “some steps” toward democracy.

“There are concerns that remain” in Vietnam, McClellan said. Yes, that’s all that remains. Concerns, and no freedom.

Frank Warner

Comments

[jj mollo]

Singapore could be considered a counter-example. The government is honest, fair, effective and authoritarian. Power was concentrated for many years in the hands of one person and appears to have been passed on to his eldest son.

[Frank Warner]

Of course, Singapore is one of those small city-states that enjoys the protection of a democracy, that is, Britain.

Its local rulers know they have to behave within some boundaries in order to keep a thriving economy, which is tied to democratic systems.

It also is tiny enough to watch for corruption and hold accountable.