Only a few months ago, billionaire Chinese businessman Wang Gongquan expressed his fear of persecution, but was hopeful that his status might offer him some protection.
That hope has been shattered on Sunday when he was placed under arrest by Chinese police for sedition.
China's move to arrest the wealthy denizen of Beijing signifies both a fear of loss of control and a hardening of the Chinese position on human rights activism.
What is probably more irksome and feared by the Chinese political powers is the rise of the so called enterpreneural activist, a figure who in virtue of the success he has achieved has the power to sway many more people, than say a poor or unknown citizen.
Success in China is seen as a very powerful statement on the man, or woman, who has achieved it, especially if that success has been achieved through personal effort and not corruption or political connection. A successful enterpreneur can gain thousands if not million of followers on social network sites, generating waves of dissent that the Chinese government could have great difficulty in controlling.
Challenge of the communist powers by any 'upstart' or business potentate is seen as anathema. In fact, anything that recalls western style capitalism is often condemned as vacuous and contrary to the communist ideal.
But the advancement of the newly rich in China is hitting very hard at the bulwark of communist rule. The only way the rulers can respond before the trend spread like an oil patch on water, is to crack down by incarcerating the dissidents, or otherwise instill fear of gulags or confinements on the cultural and moneyed elite.
Although China's constitution guarantees the right to free speech, the reality in the streets is quite different. In fact, any gathering, which is not for entertainment purpose, is closely monitored and quickly disbanded under the indictment of disturbing the peace.
In fact, one of the unspoken concessions to the newly rich, is that some form of capitalistic endeavors will be tolerated only if they do not undermine in any way the communist rule.
The point now is, however, that the Chinese government could cause an even bigger outcry with the arrest of Gongquan than if they tried to silence him in other less forceful ways. China is at the nexus of western capitalism and cultural tradition in China. If the citizens see no discrepancy between the two, and it might become increasingly so, there will be nothing to stop the increasing awareness the Chinese have of the limitations imposed by the political structure. In fact, a newly issued ban on 'foreign' tv programming has been decried as a retrograde move to Maoist times, when the leader through his 'cultural revolution' destroyed artifacts and blocked any western influence from view of Chinese citizens.
Others however, believe that rocking the boat, will only make the Chinese's lot worse. They prescribe a more mellow approach, a natural evolution that will come with increasing industrialization and modernization.
But as the wealthy and corrupt rise from humbleness and obscurity, will they take the country to a freer condition or environment, or will they simply become part of a narcissistic group that enjoys the perks of capitalism but leaves the poor behind in their obscurity and voiceless condition?
Partial Sources : Japan Times/ Guardian/ 10.22.13
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