Governance, Development and the Speed of Change

I will soon be departing Nanjing for Suzhou and Wuhan, the next stops on my meandering trail across China.  I’m not sure what all there is to be said about Nanjing, the city is gorgeous and distinctly different from anywhere I’ve been so far in life.  It is also distinctly “Chinese”, offering a rich blend of opportunities to observe ancient Chinese history as well as the nation’s more recent experiences.  From the memorial of Sun Yat Sen and the Ming Tombs to the modern history housed in the Presidential Palace, Nanjing has exposed me to much that I couldn’t have picked up from a textbook.
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Discussions of Repression

Interestingly in just the first few days here in China I’ve found a host of opportunities for conversation on issues of Chinese governance, few of which I’ve even had to instigate.  At least here in Shanghai politics seems every bit as relevant a subject of discussion as it is in the states, if not much more so.  Yesterday I learned, purely as a result of the absurd congestion on the metro that it was the 90^th anniversary of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).  I was thoroughly pleased by the unexpected and spirited discussions of the party’s successes and failings over the decades.  It was very nice to have people assume that I’m aware of world politics as a result of recognizing me as American, I’m used to quite the opposite.
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Internet Access as a Human Right?

Image courtesy of the Ethiopian Review.

Questions of human rights are a recurrent theme in contemporary international politics, and with a recent United Nations report the tangled web of internet freedom has been drawn into that mix.  Though on one hand my nerdy little heart swells at the concept of internet access being defined as a basic human right, on the other I am both shocked at the decision and curious regarding whether or not it means anything.  Clearly the decision is in part a reaction to the events underlying the Arab Spring, yet some of the issues touched upon in the report are clearly tied to problems which strike much closer to home.
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Cyber Attacks & Acts of War

I’ve written here a fair bit in the past on the subject of cyber-crime and its impact on international affairs.  Given the years events those in the sphere of international relations have been abuzz with discussion of the social impacts of the internet on political change.  Typically discussion has largely revolved around social media, yet the importance of technology in modern conflicts is inarguable.  the world grows increasingly interconnected and ever more dependent on the internet for all manner of activities, cyber-crime becomes an ever more dangerous threat.  Now it seems the Pentagon has moved to take an even harder stance on cyber- attacks “acts of war”.
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Egypt will not use automated voting system for next election

Egypt's Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, which is apparently in Smart Village, a PPP town on the outskirts of Cairo.

Al Ahram is now reporting that Egypt will not use an electronic voting system for the upcoming elections.

Egypt’s Minister of Communications and Information Technology Maged Othman announced in a press conference today that Egypt will not use electronic voting in the next presidential election.

Othman said electronic voting is currently too costly and requires extensive preparation to ensure the voting process is transparent and everyone is able to vote.

Othman also said Egypt will begin manufacturing the machines needed for electronic voting instead of importing them from overseas.

He added that currently the ministry is preparing the voting lists for the upcoming parliamentary and presidential elections. The minister also said that Egyptians will be able to vote using their national ID cards both in Egypt and overseas and that Egyptian embassies will oversee the voting process outside of Egypt.

This seems like pretty good news all around.  The ability for expats to vote, in particular is more than feasible and there was no great reason not to do it. I previously expressed my doubts about an electronic election process, but that was mainly when I was unsure of whether internet voting was a potential.   I think Egypt is more than capable of a well-done automated election, but it takes time – more than a few months – to choose a system, ensure it works, train poll workers how to use, etc.

I’ve stated before that the debate over the merits of election technology is largely unimportant. Technology is a tool, not an independent actor. In most cases it amplifies intent; both deficiencies and capabilities become more apparent.  Whether Egypt ultimately decides to use automated machines or paper ballots is less important than how they decide to structure their Election Management Body, and how well they administer their elections.

Cross posted at Ahwa Talk