Monday, February 9, 2015

Chinese Dream, African Dream, American Dream: Time to Get Real

The Centre for Chinese Studies (CCS) at Stellenbosch University published on 4 February 2015 a commentary titled "The Convergence of the Chinese and African Dream" by Huang Yupei, PhD candidate at Shanghai Normal University, and Shen Chen, a visiting scholar at the CCS. 

The authors argue that the Chinese Dream concept has deep historical roots and Africa can also draw similar development experiences and objectives from it.  While the Chinese Dream, African Dream and the unmentioned American Dream may have some relevance for China, Africa, and the United States respectively, they have no relevance for each other.  The Chinese Dream is no more relevant to Africa than is the American Dream.  It is time to focus on reality in our respective and very different regions and leave the dreaming for bedtime.