China (says Naomi Klein via Wirearchy) is spending tens of billions on surveillance and security. So far the results have been promising:
In April 2007, officials from 13 provinces held a meeting to report back on how their new security measures were performing. In the province of Jiangsu, which, according to the South China Morning Post, was using "artificial intelligence to extend and improve the existing monitoring system" the number of protests and riots "dropped by 44 per cent last year." In the province of Zhejiang, where new electronic surveillance systems had been installed, they were down 30 per cent. In Shaanxi, "mass incidents" — code for protests — were down by 27 per cent in a year. Dong Lei, the province’s deputy party chief, gave part of the credit to a huge investment in security cameras across the province. "We aim to achieve all day and all-weather monitoring capability," he told the gathering.
You can buy stock in these Chinese double bottom line social ventures (making money and keeping the public peace) on the NASDAQ and NYSE. Returns last year were over 300%, showing you can do well and do good, if you know which bets to place on the world we want.
Hey Phil, your dry irony is approaching a state of absolute aridity. It took me two reads to realize you were kidding.
Posted by: mugwumpiana | August 18, 2008 at 11:54 AM
The Praise of Folly is best done with a straight face.
Posted by: Phil | August 18, 2008 at 07:50 PM