Do you think the Olympics will bring democratic and economic reforms to China?

Well, only four votes so far, but a pretty resounding 'no'. In fact, I wager it makes the Communist Party even stronger and more demented.

What a convoluted question! Of course the Olympics will not bring permanent reform. But they might help. The question should ask if the Olympics will help bring reform.

Its not like the IOC has presented proposals to the Chinese Premier now is it?

“Do you think the Olympics will bring democratic and economic reforms to China?”

This isn’t a question, it is two questions.

Economic reforms are a possibility, they like making money & will go some way to making changes if those changes help them make more.

Democratic reforms? People with power never hand it away without a fight & while the people in power have their foot on the necks of the rest of the people there is no one to fight.

So my answer to your two questions is, “No” & “Yes”.

Perhaps if you want people to vote you should work out what it is you want them to vote on first.

Of course the Olympics on their own will not bring about reform - could they act as a catalyst? Maybe but not likely

Yes, I think so only after seeing their inuaguration ceremony.

I see no past history of the Olympics bringing economic or political reformation to any country.

Change is difficult especially in relation to age and size -and China is both (old and large).

I see similiarities to the 1964 Tokyo Olympic Games = it meant alot to a people and its' country. Personal pride can give a country good direction and that's what really makes change -no matter how bad the government screws up good people and direction will fix it and the economy follows.

Once the olympics are over and the eyes of the world are no longer focussed on China, they will clamp down hard on Tibet and the other rebellious areas. It will be business as usual.

It will eventually lead to China's downfall. Once the government implodes, there will be a power grab and civil war. China will once again return to the 19th century.

Maybe it will bring peace to the Middle East, too! I'll take a pony too, as long as we're wishing for things.

sure it will, just not how the Chinese think it will. More and more insider info will leak out, the gov will try to hold down the media with marginal success, the Internet will reveal more gov bribes and corruption which will bring about even more riots, etc. Finally the world will see China opening up and taking some responsibility for their actions. But that will probably after a few more Olympics...

it's still a commie+some capitalism country. They don't know it but china lost, since they started to give people owning personal capitalist business. Damn, even the commie government is doing too.

Economic reforms is yes. Democratic reform takes longer.

They started economic reform since 1978. Economically China is strong. Politically, they still have a long way to go. However there are some openess for media & public opinion during the Sichuan earthquake. People can critise the government with media but not bluntly. Local governments are very corrupted. Central government ignore the many injustices of poor & weak citizens. They pretended they look after the poor & disadvantaged.

I noticed that many empty seats during the olympic. Many people wish to buy the tickets. I think tickets were distributed to party officials and private sponsors. Actually they did not come and watch the game. What was a waste! Actually the game belong to foreigners & rich Chinese. Not the ordinary Chinese citizens. Not much fun for ordinary people.

To change the tangible takes a day, a month or a year. To change the intangible takes a generation or so. As the Chinese says, a long journey begins with the first step. China has long years of history and with her deep-rooted culture, hopes she can keep on her reformation and thinking.

What a question. Sure the opening ceremony was beautiful. But the laborers who built that Birds Nest stadium have all been sent back home to the country. China put on a "pretty face" for the big show. At any price. Just ask the poor who lost their homes to te construction. Once the Olympics are over, I suspect they're going to try to keep that pretty face to the world (see? we're not so bad) but internally they'll be worse than ever before stomping down any resistance in Tibet and that Uigher region.

It really doesn't matter what I think, and posting here won't change anything one iota. What is certain though is that China is gonna win a lot of medals and finish on top for the first time. Go you red beast.

The IOC are corrupted and sold their souls to China. The communist China's face of perfection is fake as lip singing opening ceremony. The cheating of the actual age by the Chinese women gymnastic is the real face of China. Too many "fakes" from the merchandises to the whole system. China worship money. The Olympic and the corrupted IOC do help the communist China. Democracy in China is a long shot, may be many more decades. So, at this junction; the answer is NO.

China will become democratic just as soon and as easily as the US becomes Confucian.