Please Vote For Me: Chinese 3rd graders experiment w Democracy

[chamaeleo]

I just watched this riveting film last night, part of the "Wholpin #6" DVD compilation of independent shorts. Quite fascinating. Three Chinese third-graders become candidates running for classroom monitor...quick learners, they must teach Sun Tzu in grade 2...



EDIT: Crap, the embed process goofed on me...clicking on the link seems to work, at any rate...

[bushbush]

it's really common. I had class elections in every grade i went in china.

[Sevasti]

It basically went down the same way in our school elections. Just goes to show that politics is a dirty business wherever you go.

I don't find any joy in watching children cry but I did feel a little smug when Cheng Cheng turned out to be the crybaby when he had accused Xiaofei of being one. Though I must admit, he made some good arguments in the "debate".

[bushbush]

It basically went down the same way in our school elections. Just goes to show that politics is a dirty business wherever you go.

I don't find any joy in watching children cry but I did feel a little smug when Cheng Cheng turned out to be the crybaby when he had accused Xiaofei of being one. Though I must admit, he made some good arguments in the "debate".

i thought it was really fun. I won the seat of "discipline commissioner" (supervising study sessions) by just saying "vote for me". There was this girl in my class participated in every election available (like 8-9 position for a class of 70 ppl) and made extensive speeches. She lost all lmao. It was kinda funny in a sad way.

[sephodwyrm]

You're describing something that's been going on for a really long time.

Classroom democracy is the basal standards of the electoral process. Basal meaning the lowest common denominator. It was more of a popular contest than anything else. There's no substance whatsoever. I convinced half the class not to vote for a particular class prefect candidate because she never stays during recess to help do her duties. This should be what I consider a fair indictment. But the other half of the class portrayed me as public enemy number 1.

Nomination to candidacy is another issue. If anything, popular vote brings out some of the worst in people.