Posted on 12/05/2008 7:55:29 AM PST by Dr. Marten
Rising unemployment and the economic slowdown could cause massive social turmoil in China, a leading scholar in the Communist Party has said.
"The redistribution of wealth through theft and robbery could dramatically increase and menaces to social stability will grow," Zhou Tianyong, a researcher at the Central Party School in Beijing, wrote in the China Economic Times.
"This is extremely likely to create a reactive situation of mass-scale social turmoil," he wrote.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.bbc.co.uk ...
I really hope the Chinese are not stupid enough to involve Taiwan — remember the last thing CHina needs is a Trade War or Economic Sanctions (this may be the only regime TRULY vunerable to trade sanctions)...
Seems to me FAR more likely that they go after Kashmir — much more morally ambiguous — far less likely to provoke a Western response... also, remember — go after Taiwan and (even if you “succeed”) you suffer serious losses and the mainland will see civilian casualties, major trade routes disrupted, etc...
A Kashmir conflict is well out of the way — you can call it part of the war on terror — nobody there can really fight back much — plus you are sending troops wayyyyy out to the boondocks where thay can not easily participate in uprest...
Only China? Then why are gun sales through the stratosphere?
China this morning increased the gas tax by 500%. That won’t exactly help calm the nerves of the public.
Agreed.
Same thing.
China has been steadily making massive cuts in the total troop strength of its armed forces for years. Human waves don't cut it any more; they're trying to become a smaller, better trained, higher-tech force.
Amazingly; the same knee-jerk reaction there as here. Slap a band-aid on the symptoms because you lack the patience and resolve to research the causes. Throw money at the manufacturing side while you disregard the CAUSES for the lack of consumption. Perpetuate stupidity at all costs....
That's not my experience, at least with Chinese students at the university where I work. It's more of a fatalistic, matter-of-fact acceptance that CCP rule is the way it is, and that it's not likely to change in the near future. Many join the CCP because it facilitates material and social advancement, not because it (or its leadership) is praiseworthy.
I do acknowledge that there is a generational difference in attitudes toward the CCP. The older generations (even those who suffered through Mao's madness) have a lot more respect for the CCP than the younger generation does. I see a lot more quiet contempt in the younger generation.
“Watch for a rattling of the swords toward Taiwan to create a diversion and an excuse to root out enemies.”
Not likely, given that relations between China and Taiwan are improving dramatically under the new Taiwanese administration.
Haven't been paying attention, have you?
Yeah, I pay attention
This may be political correctness at work - they probably know your views, and you do grade their work, don't you? I've dealt with Chinese students as their peers stateside and actually spoken with the man on the street in China. Worship of the party is practically universal.
Many join the CCP because it facilitates material and social advancement, not because it (or its leadership) is praiseworthy.
These things are not mutually exclusive. You can worship the party and join for personal advancement. You know how it goes - God the Party helps those who help themselves.
I do acknowledge that there is a generational difference in attitudes toward the CCP. The older generations (even those who suffered through Mao's madness) have a lot more respect for the CCP than the younger generation does. I see a lot more quiet contempt in the younger generation.
I see the reverse - the younger generation tends to zealotry in its love of the Party. The older generation remembers the privations imposed by the Great Leap Forward and the Cultural Revolution (while accepting the Party's rationalizations for these disasters), whereas the younger generation doesn't even believe that tens of millions starved to death while party members lived high on the hog.
I agree. Add to that the huge disparity between numbers of young men and numbers of young women, due to the one-child policy and infanticide, it’s no wonder there’s unrest. I’ve said it before, millions of young men with absolutely NO chance of EVER getting laid breeds aggression and unrest. If the government can channel that into militancy, they probably will.
Couldn't happen to a more deserving Vampire Vlad.
There 780 million pheasant farmers on roughly one acre plots although some have leased their land so larger farmers can farm more efficiently but that doesn’t amount to much. The government of China owns all land and only allot those small plots. In the past, farmers had to share their crop with the government but now, I understand, the farmers can keep and sell everything they grow.
The total arable land in China is approximately the same as the U.S. but here farms are large and efficient.
“There 780 million pheasant farmers”
Man, that’s a heck of lot of game birds :)
Right; I guess I had my mind on my daughter who told me of her recent success hunting deer and “peasants.”
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.