The recent clash between Google and China is starting to cool down to a low-simmer, but the entire world could be affected by the eventual outcome. Will governments be able to dictate to search engines the same way that they do to ISPs regarding copyright violations and pornographic searches performed by pedophiles? The ramifications could be dramatic, especially since the Internet is the next big thing as far as shopping is concerned. What would happen if retailers could simply be cut out of markets with a government edict that is not expressly covered in treaties and compacts such as those that comprise the WTO (World Trade Organization)? Virtually every consumer in the developed world could be impacted either directly or indirectly by the outcome of this conflict, so it certainly bears watching.
One perspective that is sadly missing from many articles on the subject is that of the government of China. There are a few good reasons for this absence of context, the greatest of which is that understanding the point of view of Chinese officials is far from academic; to wit, one cannot go to school and expect history and social studies to teach all there is to know about China and the Chinese people. That is a great place to start, but it really takes having representatives on the ground and immersed in the culture to truly appreciate the point of view of a government that manages over 50 distinct ethnic minorities, a vast land-area, and the largest population in the world. Luckily, High Speed Experts happens to have their own man on the ground, someone who has lived in China for over 5 years and has a great appreciation of these (and other) culture differences.
Understanding the Chinese Government: Part I
The first thing that one needs to appreciate about Chinese culture is a term called guangxi. A loose translation might be relationship or influence, but it is essentially a combination of caste/position and favoritism. In China, guangxi tends to flow in such a manner that peers bond very deeply in work and in school, but they realize that they have a position within the pecking order. The position of those low on the social and/or corporate totem poll requires them to not only follow the instructions of their ‘betters’ but also to curry favor with them when possible.
With that in mind, it is certainly inappropriate from a Chinese point of view for virtually any company to tell the government what to do. That would be akin to a child telling a parent off, and it lacks in manners. Even if the child happens to be correct. Google has obviously tried tact in the past, but it seems that recent events tried their collective corporate patience and they lost their collective cool. So, why did Google lose their cool?
Google stated many reasons, and all of them are certainly valid from the perspective of most people. For example, it would be hard to find rational people that would suggest that hacking Google is an acceptable practice. That does not, however, mean that Google issuing what amounts to a ‘our way or the highway’ ultimatum to the Chinese government is acceptable. As with so many things, it is not the content of the message but how it is phrased and delivered that is important. Google’s knee-jerk reaction is understandable but unacceptable in a system where those in lower rungs do not usually take public and contrary stances to their superiors.
Understanding the Chinese Government: Part II
Another factor that influences the decision making process of the Chinese government is that they truly have a very monumental task. Name one other country on the planet that has seen such a radical positive shift in the quality of life of its people over the past three decades. Can’t think of one? Not surprised, but the fact is that China is growing and changing at an alarming speed. Like most countries, the average age of the decision makers governing China is probably rather high, which means that many of them grew up in a very different time than decision makers in most other countries. It is hard to really appreciate this until one realizes that televisions were uncommon in China 20 years ago, but now the millions of households that constitute China’s rapidly-expanding middle class often have more than one HDTV.
In short, it is probably polite to simply suggest that those ruling China today face an uphill battle that is far more serious than their counterparts do in other cultures. In addition to facing problems with understanding and learning how to effectively use and mange technologies, the numerous unique ethnic groups/cultures within China also present constant problems. The bottom line is that the men and women making decisions on behalf of the Chinese problems may be placing more emphasis on the social ramifications of their actions and not so much on the technical ramifications. Then there is the issue of the people to consider. Deciding what is right and wrong for over a billion people and over 50 ethnic minorities, some of whom show tendencies to rebel if their belief structures appear violated via action or inaction on any given issue, cannot possibly be an easy task.
Google fits into this because it may simply be a case where the decision makers in China do not fully understand the ramification of their actions. Even if, as some have alleged, China sponsors cyber-attacks, the fact is that those in power may not necessarily fully understand what they are doing. After all, PCs became popular in the US nearly 30 years ago, and the Internet is essentially approaching the decade and a half mark in terms of age. The Chinese have had far less time to learn these tools than nearly any other industrialized nation. Is it that far-fetched to suggest that older (and thus more respected) politicians may still have a lot to learn in this regard?
Understanding the Chinese Government: Part III
One of the most popular online games in China involves people running an online farm. This might be ironic since many farmers dream of going to the big city and getting a job that will let them have a computer and enjoy the finer things in life. Putting the irony aside for a moment, the humorous and telling part of the game comes in the form of its primary mechanic: stealing from other people. The game uses the popular QQ instant messaging/social platform, and anyone who is not actively logged in and managing their farm risks having ripe fruit stolen by friends. On the surface, this seems very strange for a culture that many regard as quite friendly and loyal on an interpersonal level, yet the game is stunningly common.
One way to view this game’s stealthy and seemingly dishonest mechanic is to consider that the Chinese, as a general rule, love to get away with something that is to their benefit if they do not stand a chance at being caught. This interpretation seems to be inline with other observations made about the culture and repeated across the Internet. If this is at least semi-accurate, and given the revelations in the previous segment, is it possible that cyber-criminals in China are unaware that they might get caught, or are simply unconcerned that their government would crack down on them for something as seemingly intangible as stealing an idea? After all, China is not exactly a country famous for respecting intellectual property in general, at least those properties that belong to others.
Final Analysis
In the final analysis, China’s official response to Google was probably more civilized and well crafted than Google’s ultimatum. Google’s public challenge could not go unanswered less dissident elements pick up on their cause and rally around something that they do not truly care about in the name of being rebels. Rebellion in China does not really serve anyone’s interest, and certainly not the consumers around the world who benefit directly from the country’s exports. That does not mean that Google’s position is incorrect, and it does not mean that change cannot happen in China. Change might need to wait a few years until a younger generation of politicians takes their place, and even then, it is still possible that principals of fairness will take a backseat to guangxi and the desire to get away with being sneaky when it benefits the greater good of a country. Given history lessons such as the Bay of Pigs and the second war in Iraq, is it possible to even suggest that America has not undertaken similar actions in recent times?
China is an economic power that seems destined to remain in the limelight for the foreseeable future. Getting there required China to make many changes and concessions, and it is not necessarily unreasonable for them to expect concessions in return. If Google wants a piece of the pie, it is only natural that they will have to learn how to navigate in new waters that come with new rules. What remains to be seen is what happens to everyone else caught in between these two mega-forces. This will be the subject of our third, and final look at the conflict between Google and China, unless additional coverage is warranted.
