This long article leaves out much. For starters, it is not universal among Chinese that the studen protests in Tianamen were a good thing, that putting them down was a bad thing.
This writer ignores significant Chinese history that weighs heavily in the opinions of many Chinese, many of whom suffered directly under Mao.
Many welcome stability and the one party system over what they had before. They want nothing to do with student movements that brought such misery on the land.
This writer can be likened to a liberal utopian in the U.S., full of ideal and short on practical reality.
I think your theory of revolution is that it arises out of national consensus. I think it does, but not in the way you think. Chang's theory (and mine) is that nobody likes revolution. So how does it happen? A few political entrepreneurs (call them revolutionaries) get it into their heads that they have what it takes to destroy the existing dynasty. There are always people like that lurking around. But they only really rise to the surface when the population at large begins to lose its fear of the government's coercive apparatus. And that is what is happening today.
Chang's view isn't that a single revolt will sweep the Party aside. It is that a successful Chinese revolution will follow the pattern of Chinese history. The path to victory will be paved with failed revolts involving large numbers of dead. An increasing number of large-scale revolts will induce in the Chinese population a feeling that regime change is inevitable.* This will bring more contenders for power to the surface, including some ex-Party people who have decided that the Party has lost its legitimacy. And eventually, one of the rival contenders will win power. I don't think that a democracy is likely to replace Party rule - the only reason a Chinese rebel would risk everything is to gain everything.
So why would the average Chinese risk his life taking sides in such a revolution? The reality is that the average Chinese will be a bystander, just as he has been in every other dynasty change in Chinese history. He will not risk his life in behalf of either the Party or its opponents. And after the Party is extinguished, life for the Chinese everyman will go on as it has for millenia.
* As Mao said, a single spark can start a prairie fire. Once any kind of revolutionary momentum gets going, the growing feeling of inevitability among the populace can be extremely destabilizing for existing regimes. This is why all Chinese dynasties, including the current one, have traditionally been very watchful for signs of sedition. But it is also why every single one of them has been replaced by a new dynasty headed up by a more vigorous contender for power - once the ball gets rolling, every submerged grievance and ambition rises to the surface.