[Quix]

The youth did quite a lot 4 June 1989 without arms and then with the arms they captured or which were turned over to them by sympathetic military folks.

THEY REALLY WERE quite close to civil war with various warlords taking a diversity of stances. That and the arrogance and greed for power of the leadership compelled them to act. They still didn't have to act so ruthlessly stupidly horribly IMHO. But that's the historic Chinese mentality--suppress ruthlessly first. Ask questions later, if at all.

[FreepForever]

Isn't this a much more effective and better alternative than another Tiananmen Square type demonstration? There will not be any public demonstration, rally or protest to become a target of crackdown by the government. People just have to declare a long public vacation and stay home. When half of China decide not to show up at work and play mah-jong at home, it is enough pressure on any government. And, the government can do very little about it. The bigger the scale, the less possibility of any bloodshed. Once the critical mass is reached, the government will be forced to admit the fact that the people have spoken and their only sensible option is to relinquish power peacefully. No regime would choose to stand on the opposite side of a billion-strong angry population unless, they too, are willing to fight to the last man.