Will Disney help or hinder freedom in China?

[jcruise86]

While the impact on the Chinese government and more than one billion people may be miniscule, in its own little way do you think that Disney's new park in Shanghai, China will inspire more freedom of speech in China?

Or do you think that Disney will be an avaricious tool of the government, used to help pacify the citizens?

Will a Disneyland sanction oppression or promote freedom in our shrinking, small world?

It could (again in a tiny way) at least improve artists' ability to freely collect their share of intellectual property that they own, since Disney will increase its presence there.

[lazyboy97O]

Boy this should be hitting the Debate Lounge fast.

I do think it is supposed to be a sort of symbol of the success of the government. Khrushchev never got to go to Disneyland, but the People's Republic of China will have its own. That said, I do think continued economic exchange will eventually have its influence, but without some the bigger transitionary pains felt in the wake of the fall of the Soviet Union.

[Michael808702]

i think it will have no impact IMO i have no facts to back up what i have said but china gov is a big place.

[TimmyTimmyTimmy]

Disney won´t change anything in China.

[aashee]

China does what they want, when they want, and to whom they want. Disney isn't even a pimple on their butt.

[CaliforniaAdventurer]

Everything Disney is already made of cheap Chinese plastic lol.

[Elaine Henar]

I don't really think it will have a big political impact but I think it will have people in China go there even more than the theme park in Beijing with those plagiarized characters.

[williamtheking]

I have to be honest, I lost a lot of respect for the Disney company when I heard they where building a park in china. The park will, as far as I know, be mostly owned by the government, like the one in Hong Kong. Which means Disney's new partner in the theme park biz is the Communists dictatorship responsible for Tiananmen Square massacre and the daily oppression of over a billion people. This sickens me because I grew up wanting to work for that same company, mostly because I looked up to Walt for never letting his fame or fortune corrupt him.

But, I don't see the park itself hindering freedom, I really can only see it doing good, even if that good is very, very small. I hope Disney will react the same way goggle did if the government over censors.

[shanghairules]

I have to be honest, I lost a lot of respect for the Disney company when I heard they where building a park in china. The park will, as far as I know, be mostly owned by the government, like the one in Hong Kong. Which means Disney's new partner in the theme park biz is the Communists dictatorship responsible for Tiananmen Square massacre and the daily oppression of over a billion people. This sickens me because I grew up wanting to work for that same company, mostly because I looked up to Walt for never letting his fame or fortune corrupt him.

But, I don't see the park itself hindering freedom, I really can only see it doing good, even if that good is very, very small. I hope Disney will react the same way goggle did if the government over censors.

you china haters should crawl back into your shells and STAY THERE. first of all disney who made concession to china just to build a park there is not going to use disney park as a tool to influnce china, if it wants to leave china won't give a dame. don't forget disney literally begged to have a park in shanghai, they even made a concession to shanghai, a 30% stake in the disney management to the chinese goverment. you are angry? who cares?

[shanghairules]

I have to be honest, I lost a lot of respect for the Disney company when I heard they where building a park in china. The park will, as far as I know, be mostly owned by the government, like the one in Hong Kong. Which means Disney's new partner in the theme park biz is the Communists dictatorship responsible for Tiananmen Square massacre and the daily oppression of over a billion people. This sickens me because I grew up wanting to work for that same company, mostly because I looked up to Walt for never letting his fame or fortune corrupt him.

But, I don't see the park itself hindering freedom, I really can only see it doing good, even if that good is very, very small. I hope Disney will react the same way goggle did if the government over censors.

by the way, people like you are planning to work for disney? please SAVE DISNEY

[shanghairules]

While the impact on the Chinese government and more than one billion people may be miniscule, in its own little way do you think that Disney's new park in Shanghai, China will inspire more freedom of speech in China?

Or do you think that Disney will be an avaricious tool of the government, used to help pacify the citizens?

Will a Disneyland sanction oppression or promote freedom in our shrinking, small world?

It could (again in a tiny way) at least improve artists' ability to freely collect their share of intellectual property that they own, since Disney will increase its presence there.

this is a disney site , make it less political please

[Soul_Meets_Body]

as wonderful as it would be. it probably won't happen. there is politics in business, but not business in politics in this sense. if there were to be any politics involved, china would have made it a no go right off the bat

[williamtheking]

you china haters should crawl back into your shells and STAY THERE. first of all disney who made concession to china just to build a park there is not going to use disney park as a tool to influnce china, if it wants to leave china won't give a dame. don't forget disney literally begged to have a park in shanghai, they even made a concession to shanghai, a 30% stake in the disney management to the chinese goverment. you are angry? who cares?

I never said I hate China; I just hate the Communist government. I have a great respect for Chinese culture, which is another reason I hate the Communist, because they are trying their best to erase that culture.

I hope Disney tries to use the park to influence china, I hope they fight tooth and nail against censorship, and I hope that if the government ever tries to use them as a propaganda tool that they will not allow it.

[shanghairules]

I never said I hate China; I just hate the Communist government. I have a great respect for Chinese culture, which is another reason I hate the Communist, because they are trying their best to erase that culture.

I hope Disney tries to use the park to influence china, I hope they fight tooth and nail against censorship, and I hope that if the government ever tries to use them as a propaganda tool that they will not allow it.

williamdear, how many time do i have to tell you, disney do not have the balls to tell china what to do, and don't forget the united states is a large debtor nation and guess which country owns a large amount of their debt. and do i have to say it again? you know what i'm probably an exception here and i disagree , but a lot of Chinese people consider disney to be an american nonsense, and you expect this nonsense to influence china? what a joke. hopefully disney won't be another cultural Chernobyl like paris

[williamtheking]

williamdear, how many time do i have to tell you, disney do not have the balls to tell china what to do, and don't forget the united states is a large debtor nation and guess which country owns a large amount of their debt. and do i have to say it again? you know what i'm probably an exception here and i disagree , but a lot of Chinese people consider disney to be an american nonsense, and you expect this nonsense to influence china? what a joke. hopefully disney won't be another cultural Chernobyl like paris

I know that we have a lot to fear. We owe trillions of dollars to the Chinese government, so it can sometimes seem like we are in no place to criticize that same governments treatment of its people. And i know that Disney would stand to loss billions of dollars if they did speak out against the Communists. But we can never allow our own fears to paralyzes us, the human race can not afford to ignore the plight of over one billion people! A single one of those lives means more to me than any theme park, and I hope Disney feels the same.