I would hate to see such things instituted here to any greater extent than they already are, but in China, without them, the possibilities of chaos are significant. We have had decades of wealth and security to settle us down, while the Chinese are just beginning to live what we would think of as normal lives. Even I think that increased democracy there would be more of a problem than a solution right now. If democratization had come after Tiananmen, I doubt that China would be as wealthy and stable as it is now. And remember that Western countries continue to encourage and support revolt in China. The time and means will come, but I don't think it's now. Nor do I think our forms of democracy are the be-all and end-all. Just the best we can do for ourselves so far.