COMMUNIST CHINA
Sir,-Once again I voice a protest against the championing of the Communist Government of China in Lookout. That the speaker felt it necessary to add an. apologia indicates, I think, that he was not quite so happy in his mind as he would have had one believe. Though this may have been of some comfort to him, I must confess to having experienced a feeling of shame on his behalf. To express the view that the misery of life in China was such that it did not really signify whether the people were under a Communist Government or not! That the people lived so near the bread line that it made no odds! Do I need to comment? Not on the sentiment of such words surely? But this I would say. Western peoples are inclined to view misery and happiness as being a matter of standard of living. It is nothing of the sort. Happiness is a thing of the spirit, and a rich man is a man with a tranquil] heart. I have lived in close contact with Asiatics whose standard of living was low indeed, when measured against that of Europeans, yet their joy in living seems to me to be greater than that of the average European. I venture to say that when freedom is taken away, as it undoubtedly is under Communist rule, then happiness in life goes too. The speaker saw cause for optimism at the present time. I doubt his judgment in this. There is no room for optimism while a large section of mankind is living in bondage, and while active steps continue to be taken to engulf the
remainder.
C.
H.
(Matamata).
Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/periodicals/NZLIST19530717.2.12.4
Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka
New Zealand Listener, Volume 29, Issue 731, 17 July 1953, Page 5
Word count
Tapeke kupu
282COMMUNIST CHINA New Zealand Listener, Volume 29, Issue 731, 17 July 1953, Page 5
Using this item
Te whakamahi i tēnei tūemi
Material in this publication is protected by copyright.
Are Media Limited has granted permission to the National Library of New Zealand Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa to develop and maintain this content online. You can search, browse, print and download for research and personal study only. Permission must be obtained from Are Media Limited for any other use.
Copyright in the work University Entrance by Janet Frame (credited as J.F., 22 March 1946, page 18), is owned by the Janet Frame Literary Trust. The National Library has been granted permission to digitise this article and make it available online as part of this digitised version of the New Zealand Listener. You can search, browse, and print this article for research and personal study only. Permission must be obtained from the Janet Frame Literary Trust for any other use.
Copyright in the Denis Glover serial Hot Water Sailor published in 1959 is owned by Pia Glover. The National Library has been granted permission to digitise this serial and make it available online as part of this digitised version of the Listener. You can search, browse, and print this serial for research and personal study only. Permission must be obtained from Pia Glover for any other use.
Log in