[python-committers] Could we focus our discourse, mail list on Python related issues?

[Antoine Pitrou]

Le 07/04/2019 à 14:41, Berker Peksağ a écrit :
> On Sun, Apr 7, 2019 at 3:19 PM Xiang Zhang <angwerzx at 126.com> wrote:
>> https://discuss.python.org/t/can-we-do-something-for-996-programmers-in-china/1119/11
> 
> Hi Xiang,
> 
> Perhaps I'm missing some context here, but Guido's first post in the
> thread you've linked isn't about politics (nor a discussion about
> comparing ideologies of different governments) It's about basic human
> rights.

I'm fully in favour of workers' rights, and I hope workers all over the
world (not only computer programmers, and not only in China) unite and
manage to get better conditions.

However, I agree with Xiang Zhang that it is out of scope of
*python-dev* communication channels.

Invoking "human rights" can be contentious when it comes to dictating
the policy of foreign countries, as it tends to negate the political
aspect of said interference.  Yet, western countries don't have exactly
a stellar record when it comes to interfering with dosmetic affairs of
foreign countries.  Perhaps some Chinese people have reasons to be
afraid when they see those good-willed initiatives done in the name of
basic human rights.  There's also sometimes quite a bit of selective
outrage at play, targeted (deliberately or not) at non-US-allies.

Saying this isn't about politics is a bit fooling oneself IMHO.  Working
conditions are a political question, and a political choice.  It has
been since the XIXth century at least. Contemporary western societies
have quite a bit to improve in that regard, especially as they seem to
adopt more and more anti-worker policies...  (and, no, it's not the
"populist right".  Look at all mainstream governments since the 1980s,
left or right, and the kind of structural shifts in economic balance
they have favoured.)

Regards

Antoine.