- Beijing Consensus
Beijing Consensus is a term that represents the opposite of the
Washington Consensus , which is the United States' plan for reforming and developing the economics of small, third-world countries. [http://www.salon.com/tech/htww/2006/09/15/beijing_consensus/ No consensus on the Beijing Consensus - How the World Works - Salon.com ] ]The first guideline involves a "commitment to innovation and constant experimentation." One of the major criticisms of the Washington Consensus is its complacency. Ramo argues that there is no perfect solution, and that the only true path to success is one that is dynamic, as no one plan works for every situation.
The second guideline states that
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) should not be the lone measure of progress. Rather, Ramo feels that the sustainability of the economic system and an even distribution of wealth, along with GDP, are important indicators of progress.The third guideline urges a policy of self-determination, where the less-developed nations use leverage to keep the superpowers in check and assure their own financial sovereignty.http://anscombe.mcmaster.ca/global1/servlet/Position2pdf?fn=PP_Dirlik_BeijingConsensus]
Arif Dirlik
One critic of Ramo's plan is
University of Oregon professorArif Dirlik , a "notable specialist in Chineese and in intellectual history," who wrote the paper "Beijing Consensus: Beijing "Gongshi." Who Recognizes Whom and to What End." Although Dirlik is intrigued by the concepts and philosophy of Ramo's Beijing consensus, he says that Ramo's plan is a "Silicon Valley Model of Development" that ignores the fact that the exploitation of China's labor force by foreign countries was a major part of the Chinese development.References
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