China is run by engineers

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22 Jan 2007, 01:47 AM
Fe 26

China is run by engineers

http://www.hojohnlee.com/weblog/arch...-by-engineers/

Quote:

This month’s IEEE Spectrum just turned up, and features an in-depth look at the state of technology in China. Excellent reading, whether you have a current interest in China or not.

Among the interesting sidebars, a note that all 9 members of the Chinese Politburo have an engineering background:

* Hu Jintao - Tsinghua University, water conservancy engineering
* Huang Ju, Tsinghua University, electrical engineering
* Jia Qinglin, Hebei Engineering College, department of electrical power
* Li Changchun, Harbin Institute of Technology, department of electrical machinery
* Luo Gan, Freiberg University of Mining and Technology
* Wen Jiabao, Beijing Institute of Geology, department of geology and minerals
* Wu Bangguo, Tsinghua University, radio engineering
* Wu Guanzheng, Tsinghua University, power department
* Zeng Qinghong, Beijing Institute of Technology, automatic control department

I had a suspicion that the US Cabinet is mostly lawyers, so I thought I would take a quick look:

* Mike Johanns, Dept of Agriculture - Creighton University - lawyer
* Carlos Gutierrez, Dept of Commerce - Monterrey Institute of Technology - Business
* Donald Rumsfeld, Dept of Defense - Princeton, A.B.
* Margaret Spellings, Dept of Education - Univ of Houston, political science, journalism
* Samuel W. Bodman, Dept of Energy - Cornell BS ChemEng, MIT ScD
* Michael Leavitt, Dept of HHS - Southern Utah University, economics, business
* Michael Chertoff, Dept of Homeland Security - Harvard - lawyer
* Alphonso Jackson, Dept of HUD - Washington University - lawyer
* Gale A. Norton, Dept of Interior - University of Denver - lawyer
* Alberto Gonzales, Dept of Justice - Harvard - lawyer
* Elaine Chao, Dept of Labor - Harvard - MBA
* Condoleezza Rice, Dept of State - Univ of Denver - PhD, international studies
* Norman Y. Mineta, Dept of Transportation - UC Berkeley - MBA
* John W. Snow, Dept of Treasury - Univ of Virginia - PhD, economics, George Washington University law degree
* Jim Nicholson, Dept of VA - West Point
* Dick Cheney, Vice President - Univ of Wyoming, BA, MA
* Joshua Bolten, Office of Management and Budget - Stanford - lawyer
* Stephen L. Johnson, EPA - George Washington University - MS - Pathology
* Andrew H. Card, Jr, Chief of Staff - Univ of South Carolina - BS Engineering
* Rob Portman, US Trade Ambassador - lawyer
* John P. Walters, Office of Drug Control Policy - University of Toledo, MA

The US political system is vastly different than China’s, so the US cabinet isn’t exactly equivalent to the Chinese Politburo, and everyone working at this level of government has significant political skills, but it’s interesting to observe the emphasis given to lawyering in the US cabinet.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, June 8th, 2005 at 3:37 pm and is filed under Travel, Technology, Business. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
22 Jan 2007, 01:48 AM
burgundy

Better that than guys who willingly call themselves "buttcheeks."
22 Jan 2007, 01:56 AM
ChaoofNee

China is run by engineers.
Japan is run by perverts.
America is run by morons.
Ireland is run by the most awesome and fun-loving people known to man.
22 Jan 2007, 01:56 AM
Tenchimo Dos

Lawyers run the U.S.? Judging by our current state of affairs all I can say is big surprise.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChaoofNee

Ireland is run by the most awesome and fun-loving people known to man.

Alcoholics?
22 Jan 2007, 02:00 AM
bbobb

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChaoofNee

Japan is run by perverts.

Funny story.

The guy who was just elected Governor of the prefecture I'm in is a former comedian who was once arrested for having sexual relations with a girl under the age of 18.

GOOOOOOOOO JAPAN!!!!!!!
22 Jan 2007, 02:01 AM
Fe 26

did he owe up to it, and was she at least hot

OMG WHO AM I TAKEING A JAB AT, I WONDER!
22 Jan 2007, 02:05 AM
Doc Holliday

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tenchimo Dos

Alcoholics?

That's right Bitch!

http://www.westtexasrocks.com/blog_p...r/olddrunk.jpg
22 Jan 2007, 02:08 AM
g0zen

This has a lot to do with Western traditions within politics.
22 Jan 2007, 03:02 AM
Fe 26

not really. China was previously a communist country, and is now moving to that of a capitalistic one. Their legal system and political structure did not elevate lawyers to the same level that ours does. Engineers are currently very important to the surge of production and economic growth in china. We might assume that importance is what is helping them gain this political power.

If China ever decides to not be a communist country, they will probably adopt a ruling system more familiar.
22 Jan 2007, 04:55 AM
g0zen

Quote:

Originally Posted by buttcheeks

not really. China was previously a communist country, and is now moving to that of a capitalistic one. Their legal system and political structure did not elevate lawyers to the same level that ours does. Engineers are currently very important to the surge of production and economic growth in china. We might assume that importance is what is helping them gain this political power.

If China ever decides to not be a communist country, they will probably adopt a ruling system more familiar.

Once again, you don't know what you're talking about. You contradict yourself atleast three times in the above paragraph. IronPlant, seriously, if you cannot respond to my posts intelligently then save yourself some time and self-respect (LAWL) and don't respond at all.
22 Jan 2007, 09:34 AM
Fe 26

Quote:

Originally Posted by g0zen

BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH

LAWL
22 Jan 2007, 10:03 AM
Shin Johnpv

Quote:

Originally Posted by buttcheeks

LAWL

Why don't you actually reply to him with some kind of defense on what you're trying to say instead of just a stupid LAWL comment?
22 Jan 2007, 11:39 AM
Hubbitron

Quote:

Originally Posted by buttcheeks

LAWL

lol
22 Jan 2007, 01:04 PM
Port

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hubbitron

lol

qft
22 Jan 2007, 01:21 PM
Timber

Quote:

Originally Posted by portnoyd

qft

ibtn
22 Jan 2007, 01:41 PM
stormy

I know a lot of Chinese engineers, and although it might not be a representative sample I don't think I'd want them running my country. They can barely communicate. Brains is only part of the skill set needed to govern. The ability to debate and reason in non black and white terms is equally important, something that lawyers should be very good at.
22 Jan 2007, 01:45 PM
kingoffighters

Engineers make tanks that can run over the populace. Works for them.
22 Jan 2007, 03:51 PM
MechDeus

China's Leaders Makes Super Robot Judge To Govern Populace
Public responds in anger, gets crushed
22 Jan 2007, 03:53 PM
icarusfall

It's like buttplant wants to be counterculture, but didn't quite take the right bus...
22 Jan 2007, 04:49 PM
station82o

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shin Johnpv

Why don't you actually reply to him with some kind of defense on what you're trying to say instead of just a stupid LAWL comment?

I agree, lets hear your rebuttal to gozen cheeks
22 Jan 2007, 07:31 PM
Fe 26

There is nothing to argue against. He simply said I was wrong. He didn't tell me what I was wrong about or how that I am wrong. He doesn't even say enough to prove that he read what I said. I'm not so hard up for conversation that I'm going to make his argument for him and then argue against it.
22 Jan 2007, 07:57 PM
Some Stupid Japanese Name

IDBTN
22 Jan 2007, 09:29 PM
Saint of Killers

Quote:

Originally Posted by bbobb

The guy who was just elected Governor of the prefecture I'm in is a former comedian who was once arrested for having sexual relations with a girl under the age of 18.

I thought the age of consent in Japan was 14 or some shit.
22 Jan 2007, 09:37 PM
bbobb

Quote:

Originally Posted by Saint of Killers

I thought the age of consent in Japan was 14 or some shit.

13 by national law.

But most prefectures have their own laws that up it to 17 or 18.
23 Jan 2007, 02:16 PM
Yoshi

Engineers are the absolute last people that should be running anything. They get too far in the weeds and can't see the big picture.
23 Jan 2007, 08:21 PM
Fe 26

For anyone who cares about the topic, I was wrong about my guess. I talked to someone that actually has experience with china and he said that they have so many eng in power because china is known for forcing their best eng to join "the party" to protect their intellectual properties, but in a weird twist, some rose up the party line and used it to gain these positions. Also, these guys don’t work in production. They all had jobs related to defense.
23 Jan 2007, 08:50 PM
youandwhosearmy

Quote:

Originally Posted by buttcheeks

did he owe up to it, and was she at least hot

OMG WHO AM I TAKEING A JAB AT, I WONDER!

So what are you saying? Be more like China?

Communist.
23 Jan 2007, 08:52 PM
Fe 26

I had no point. I found the difference in culture to be interesting and thought others might feel the same way.

And I like to make fun of Bill Clinton. I'd vote for him if he ran again though. He's far better than his wife and who we have now.
23 Jan 2007, 08:54 PM
youandwhosearmy

Communist.
23 Jan 2007, 09:21 PM
g0zen

Quote:

Originally Posted by buttcheeks

I had no point.

Shocking.
23 Jan 2007, 10:44 PM
Shin Johnpv

Quote:

Originally Posted by buttcheeks

I had no point.

stop using this as a front for your communist agenda.