Alternatively, Xi is now in a powerful position to make changes toward controlleed modernization of China.
He is faced with a problem of both extreme modern societal elements and extreme backward, fundamentally very old elements.
The twain does meet. I watched a series on China and in the Tibet episode the populace celebrated a very very ancient erection of a huge maypole like holiday structure.
One of those involved was clad in Jeans and a Stetson Hat. I could only wonder how the jeans and especially the very American Western Straw Stetson made it to the far far outreaches of Tibet and became the ordinary clothing of a local cattleman.
Alls that economic modernization in China has done politically is give the dictatorship even more powerful technological and social manipulation tools for managing its dictatorial rule. When it relazes something in its control it is only done to see who will take advantage of it, and then with those idiots identified, they begin to restore control, even if it takes a different approach to doing it. All economic matters are privileges not rights.