As China becomes more and more tied to the fortunes of other countries, and enters the millennium at a net advantage and with more and more economic reform, the ruling party is at a loss on how to prevent the westernization, and by consequence the possibility of protests, of its people.
Already, materialism is changing the face of China in not so subtle ways. Modesty and humbleness have given way to conspicuous consumption and an unquenchable thirst for luxury goods. People are seeking a better standard of living, and health care.
Amidst all this, the internet has enabled protesters and reform seekers to vent their frustrations and thoughts in a very public way.
China has always repressed criticism and dissent. Who could forget Tiananman square? But what is increasingly becoming problematic, is that the newly rich are joining the ranks of those poorer than themselves who are asking for quicker reform and greater freedom, and that could rankle the ruling party and the face it wishes to portray.
But China is afraid that any concession could result in mass protests, a thought that terrifies the party, who think that any criticism is a direct attack against the country and the party too.
A multimillionaire, however, has leveraged his power against the ruling class.
Wang Gongquan was arrested last week, on the trumped up charges of sedition. In other words, that he was seeking followers that would disrupt the order of things.
The millionaire, who is part of a grassroots movement that scares the ruling party like little before, had also been arrested not long ago. His perseverance could result in a harsh sentence, to deter others like him from using their wealth and influence to build a protest movement.
The move, critics of the party say, is within the scope of a renewed crackdown, which has seen the detention of another 17 people of New Citizens, a protest and awareness group. More than 55 people have been detained since the beginning of Spring.
Critics of the government are saying that the tightening is due to the fact that the party is at a loss on how to manage both virtual and real protest, whose voices are becoming stronger.
What is ironic, some say, is that China is trying very hard at this time for inclusion in the rarefied group called the 'Human Rights Council' in the United Nations. Such 'reincarnation' is aimed at promoting a 'gentle' face for China, an attempt to make China into a benevolent, 'middle earth' like nation.
New Citizens, however, is gaining momentum. They might have been emboldened by the internet, or maybe by the party's previously more relaxed attitude. That maybe changing now.
One of the things New Citizens has done, for example is to ask that politicians and top officials disclose their assets. One of the greatest problems in China is that of corruption. A great part of that corruption stems from the influence exercised by local and other politicians.
One of the things that the party is doing recently, is to target people on the internet that have a large following, and have issued new laws that attack those who post anything for which they do not have solid or available proof, and make them liable of defamation. A person who has a large following is considered a liability, because his reach could turn into the hundred of thousands.
Another prominent figure was harassed this month, millionaire Zue Manzi, an American investor of Chinese descent, after authorities in Bejing airport arrested him at the airport for suspicion of soliciting a prostitute. This is typical Chinese fodder: arresting someone to make an example of him or her, and indicting him for charges unrelated to his activism.
Source : The Guardian/ 9.18.13
Already, materialism is changing the face of China in not so subtle ways. Modesty and humbleness have given way to conspicuous consumption and an unquenchable thirst for luxury goods. People are seeking a better standard of living, and health care.
Amidst all this, the internet has enabled protesters and reform seekers to vent their frustrations and thoughts in a very public way.
China has always repressed criticism and dissent. Who could forget Tiananman square? But what is increasingly becoming problematic, is that the newly rich are joining the ranks of those poorer than themselves who are asking for quicker reform and greater freedom, and that could rankle the ruling party and the face it wishes to portray.
But China is afraid that any concession could result in mass protests, a thought that terrifies the party, who think that any criticism is a direct attack against the country and the party too.
A multimillionaire, however, has leveraged his power against the ruling class.
Wang Gongquan was arrested last week, on the trumped up charges of sedition. In other words, that he was seeking followers that would disrupt the order of things.
The millionaire, who is part of a grassroots movement that scares the ruling party like little before, had also been arrested not long ago. His perseverance could result in a harsh sentence, to deter others like him from using their wealth and influence to build a protest movement.
The move, critics of the party say, is within the scope of a renewed crackdown, which has seen the detention of another 17 people of New Citizens, a protest and awareness group. More than 55 people have been detained since the beginning of Spring.
Critics of the government are saying that the tightening is due to the fact that the party is at a loss on how to manage both virtual and real protest, whose voices are becoming stronger.
What is ironic, some say, is that China is trying very hard at this time for inclusion in the rarefied group called the 'Human Rights Council' in the United Nations. Such 'reincarnation' is aimed at promoting a 'gentle' face for China, an attempt to make China into a benevolent, 'middle earth' like nation.
New Citizens, however, is gaining momentum. They might have been emboldened by the internet, or maybe by the party's previously more relaxed attitude. That maybe changing now.
One of the things New Citizens has done, for example is to ask that politicians and top officials disclose their assets. One of the greatest problems in China is that of corruption. A great part of that corruption stems from the influence exercised by local and other politicians.
One of the things that the party is doing recently, is to target people on the internet that have a large following, and have issued new laws that attack those who post anything for which they do not have solid or available proof, and make them liable of defamation. A person who has a large following is considered a liability, because his reach could turn into the hundred of thousands.
Another prominent figure was harassed this month, millionaire Zue Manzi, an American investor of Chinese descent, after authorities in Bejing airport arrested him at the airport for suspicion of soliciting a prostitute. This is typical Chinese fodder: arresting someone to make an example of him or her, and indicting him for charges unrelated to his activism.
Source : The Guardian/ 9.18.13
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