The Chinese Social-Credit System Experience

Book excerpt: "The Chinese Social-Credit System Experience - A National Reputation System In The Making" is a subject very much calling out to be further explored by Americans, in particular. What follows is an examination of a social, business, political and legal point-based system for determining good and bad businesses and citizens - among other things; and what can result from such ratings.What this book presents is the views of journalists and scholars looking from the outside, but also of journalists and scholars looking at this significant social, business, political and legal development from the inside - and even from one of the most important developers of the system himself!Lin Junyue is the name of that developer, and in the highly detailed article "Retrospect: 1999-2009 Achievements In Social Credit Construction Of China", he tells the important early story of the development of the Chinese Social-Credit System. It is foundational information that sets the stage for the studies which follow in the book - among them, the most important feature the writings and translation work of Rogier Creemers.Yes, the scholar, Rogier Creemers, is an important contributor to understanding the amazing breadth of details involved in this social credit system. He lends crucial translation and editing work to the official Chinese government presentation of the "Planning Outline for the Construction of a Social Credit System (2014-2020)" of June 14, 2014, and updated on April 25, 2015. And he also brings great understanding of the system with his own article of May 9, 2018, titled, "China's Social Credit System: An Evolving Practice Of Control."There are numerous unfavorable critiques of such an enormous undertaking, with so many implications for Chinese political, economic, social and legal policy-making. But the development of such a system could have widespread global implications as well, if others should choose to use China's system as an example for their own! Probably the greatest criticism is directed at measures that could be seen as Orwellian, dystopian, Big Brother public/government intrusion, characterized by more widespread public surveillance, and less personal privacy. The other target of heavy criticism is the idea of using something like a very public point system to rate people and businesses - and the effects such ratings can have!Nevertheless there are some positives to a system like the one envisioned by the Chinese, if perhaps somewhat toned-down in terms of intrusiveness. The most positive feature, especially through the eyes of the Chinese, is that this is a "sincere" effort to bring more trustworthiness and moral value to the actions and behaviors of citizens, businesses and government officials. And in this day and age of what is happening in the U.S. politically, it's hard to find fault with such a sentiment! And the idea of bringing sincerity, trustworthiness and behavior based on better moral values is a longstanding and treasured Chinese aim and desire! As it "should" be globally!Especially important is that a great deal of this system has strong economic and potential legal implications for businesses in China - both domestic and foreign, because businesses and industrial development could be subject to strong government influence based on political, economical and social priorities determined by the central government!And globally, people need to be aware of what is happening in China, because of the implications these developments could have for the worldwide community, whatever the form their current social, political and economic systems take!