On: Files Vanished, Young Chinese Lose the Future

[adharmad]

The problem itself is not technological but political. The system that has evolved is pretty bad and the only reason it has evolved is because of the government. Unless there is some third party (free press, independent justice system) that oversees the government, there is no easy solution.

[Herring → adharmad]

I wonder - has there ever been a case of an organization that big voluntarily giving up power? I can't think of any, & in fact the opposite situation (eg regulatory capture) is quite common.

[philwelch → Herring]

Depends on what you mean by "voluntary", but maybe half of the British Empire was ceded without bloodshed.

[adharmad → philwelch]

Can you clarify which half was ceded without bloodshed?

[bayareaguy → Herring]

has there ever been a case of an organization that big voluntarily giving up power

It depends on what you mean by voluntarily, but here's one example: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freedom_Day_(South_Africa)

[adharmad → Herring]

Cant think of any. Power corrupts and the only way to change it is via political action or (sometimes) via armed revolution.