Actually small scale "uzbekistans" are happening in China at the rate of over (several) thousand cases per year. It's usually happening when the peasants in a village are too fed up with local party officials and revolt. The Chinese state, being an autocracy, has in fact very little direct control over the countryside, because of the very small number of police forces there (almost ridiculously small). So they're usually unable to curb the riot early and it ends in a few day battle, after the reinforcements (usually army or police troops brought from elsewhere) arrive to fight the peasants. The death score is not too high in such incidents, just a few cadavers and a few dozen severely beaten, some more put into prison. Nothing to really incite the world press and usually happens in deep province, where the reporters don't go. Typical case here Last year Riots in Chongqing attracted more publicity. Cheers, V. P.S. Fabio, we need you to step in, before I turn your L_J into a China newsletter :)
I am very happy to learn more about China. Write as much as you like. What you say about the government's lack of control on the countriside chimes with what I had been thinking on some related matters - in my view, the Communist Party is aware that its control over the territory is insufficient. One symptom I had noticed is the frequent mining disasters and explosions of firework dumps built in residential areas. No sensible government with a moderate control of the territory would allow such irresponsible handling of explosive devices, and it follows that traders in China are almost beyond the control of the State. It is also my view that the Party has a historic memory of the Chinese habit of reacting to socio-political change by collapsing into civil wars, and fears Islam and Christianity mainly as possible carriers of subversive political messages - after all, many revolts against this or that imperial dynasty had a religious tinge, had they not?
You will notice that I used some dubitative formulae - "if" true, it "could be" "quite" important.
Yes, I noticed. Very sensible, because as somebody put it: the nature of Chinese politics makes tea-leaves divinations scientific, when compared to China specialists analises. Trelawney, anybody?
Ultimately, the power of the CP does not depend on the number of memberships, but on its control of the Army, as was shown in Beijing sixteen years ago, and that is not likely to be given up any time soon.
Well, yes and no. Of course, ultimately the power of any state depends on its control of the army, and so it is in China, where by large party=state. But here is the problem: as in any other communist state the Party doubles all state organizations (so there is a ministry of defence and a military commision in the party structures) and very often the same persons control both posts. But to effectively control the state the Party needs large and reasonably well qualified membership, otherwise the people from „outside” will start to occupy
( ... )
No sensible government with a moderate control of the territory would allow such irresponsible handling of explosive devices, and it follows that traders in China are almost beyond the control of the State.
Good observation. Many things in China is outside the scope of State control and often only randomly. I was there good few years ago, but one of the most importnat features was that there is nothing quite stable there and much depends on a local boss whim. Combined with usual disregard for safety - or rather diminished perception of danger - disaster are most likely effect. If you check the leaks from he gas-botle with a lighter, you may eventually find it...
Party has a historic memory of the Chinese habit of reacting to socio-political change by collapsing into civil wars, and fears Islam and Christianity mainly as possible carriers of subversive political messages - after all, many revolts against this or that imperial dynasty had a religious tinge, had they not?Most certainly it has - the persecutions of
( ... )
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The death score is not too high in such incidents, just a few cadavers and a few dozen severely beaten, some more put into prison. Nothing to really incite the world press and usually happens in deep province, where the reporters don't go. Typical case here
Last year Riots in Chongqing attracted more publicity.
Cheers, V.
P.S. Fabio, we need you to step in, before I turn your L_J into a China newsletter :)
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Yes, I noticed. Very sensible, because as somebody put it: the nature of Chinese politics makes tea-leaves divinations scientific, when compared to China specialists analises. Trelawney, anybody?
Ultimately, the power of the CP does not depend on the number of memberships, but on its control of the Army, as was shown in Beijing sixteen years ago, and that is not likely to be given up any time soon.
Well, yes and no. Of course, ultimately the power of any state depends on its control of the army, and so it is in China, where by large party=state. But here is the problem: as in any other communist state the Party doubles all state organizations (so there is a ministry of defence and a military commision in the party structures) and very often the same persons control both posts. But to effectively control the state the Party needs large and reasonably well qualified membership, otherwise the people from „outside” will start to occupy ( ... )
Reply
No sensible government with a moderate control of the territory would allow such irresponsible handling of explosive devices, and it follows that traders in China are almost beyond the control of the State.
Good observation. Many things in China is outside the scope of State control and often only randomly. I was there good few years ago, but one of the most importnat features was that there is nothing quite stable there and much depends on a local boss whim. Combined with usual disregard for safety - or rather diminished perception of danger - disaster are most likely effect. If you check the leaks from he gas-botle with a lighter, you may eventually find it...
Party has a historic memory of the Chinese habit of reacting to socio-political change by collapsing into civil wars, and fears Islam and Christianity mainly as possible carriers of subversive political messages - after all, many revolts against this or that imperial dynasty had a religious tinge, had they not?Most certainly it has - the persecutions of ( ... )
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