Social unrest 'on the rise' in China

Social unrest 'on the rise' in China

news.bbc.co.uk

Social unrest is on the rise in China, according to an analysis by a Chinese think-tank.

The country is grappling with more acute social problems than ever before, according to a report from the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

Crime is also up, despite a nationwide campaign to shore up social stability.

Although continued economic growth has provided a greater number of jobs, China has seen more social conflict in 2009 than before.

(visit the link for the full news article)


Related News Links:
images.google.com
english.people.com.cn

This reminds me of the events that led up to the Tiananmen Square protests. The protests of that time led to the economic change in China. So I wonder if the unrest now will lead to more change. The best thing to help find out about this is if any people in China could give us there take on what is happening. The sorce article did say that using the web for news is also up.

news.bbc.co.uk
(visit the link for the full news article)

Well that certainly, if true, sheds some light on China's actions in cap'nhagen. If the Chinese people are restless while China itself is transitioning into a global power, there's no telling how they'd react to internationally enforced sanctions that would limit their development.
While China has promised it wont take any of the alloted funding destined for the development of third world countries, it IS eligable and could easily recant on that promise.
I would imagine it's difficult to keep 1.3 billion people happy.

Ridiculously Presumptuous Prediction:
China continues to destabilize from within, and a western power begins talks with Tibet lol.

finally maybe the chinese people can realize what losers their government is.


maybe its finally our turn in the us ?

[edit on 21-12-2009 by conspiracyrus]

Originally posted by heyo

China continues to destabilize from within, and a western power begins talks with Tibet lol.

You bring up a good point throwing Tibet into the situation. If the Dolly Lama wants to ramp things up during the time of social unrest that could escalate things one way or the other.

This is what is going to stop China from becoming the new Economic Super-Power. I've noticed a lot of people saying that China is to be feared, which is not the case. This is the white elephant in the room, the people in China have wanted more freedom for a long time now and now that they have gotten a taste of economic freedom they want political and personal freedom. It is soon going to rage out of control we could possibly see revolution in China.

The whole world is going to hell in a hand basket.

Originally posted by RedGolem


This reminds me of the events that led up to the Tiananmen Square protests. The protests of that time led to the economic change in China.

Actually, the Tienanmen square protests were the result of economic change happening too quickly - students felt that the changes were not enough, and the trade unionists thought they were too much, and there were a number of groups in between. In the smallest of nutshells.

China has learned from the past on how they should and shouldn't deal with social problems - probably more than any other country in the world. China also faces the largest challenge - because introducing a multi-party democracy (as some want) is completely impossible over the short term, and goes against the other group (quite large, at that) favoring the current system. It becomes even more difficult when you consider that the USA - barely capable of avoiding revolution with a two party system - has a quarter of the population of China.

The solution seems to be either call it quits and balkanize, or stay the course and deal with problems as they arise and work to a grand plan (20, 50 or 100 years down the road). It's not a question of which one is the perfect solution, it's a question of which course will provide the least amount of chaos, rioting and people starving to death.

I don't envy china's leadership - the balancing act they're performing is staggering.

reply to post by Hastobemoretolife


I stopped short of using the "revolution" term. Although be it yes it could happen. I just do remember the Tienanmen square incident. China's rulers will not sit by and let a revolution happen. As to your hand basket phrase, it is also interesting to note the soon coming galactic alignment and the I-ching.

reply to post by RedGolem


If the situation worsens, perhaps an ally of the States would step in. Tibetans might not deal with the USA directly, due to them being essentially betrayed during the cold war, but another western power could offer a helping hand.

From the year 1989, "free" people have been expecting the collapse of China for several decades, but to their disappointment, China becomes stronger and stronger, I hope your expectation will come true this time

[edit on 22-12-2009 by gs001]

A country that is such a vast size and population is bound to have a range of issues . China accelerated economic growth and lack of environmental controls is rapidly creating two tribes the haves and have nots . A lack of private property rights hardly helps at all . If China's lack of environmental controls catches up with them then the world could be without any Superpowers * and the global instability will get even worse then projected .

* Assuming that the US defaults on it debt sometime in the next decade .

Originally posted by xpert11
A country that is such a vast size and population is bound to have a range of issues .

china being the size it is, is always going to have to shut down something from within.

Remember people they control the west with sex drugs and rock and roll, and tv and games.

It takes alot of work to control vast amounts of people.

This is of course inevitable. As China gets richer the population’s expectations increase mainly because they can see for themselves “how the other half live”. The population expect better education, better healthcare, more freedom and equity. No matter how the Chinese authorities try to keep the population submissive and compliant (e.g. a controlled press and filtered access to the internet), they will be faced with increasing demands for change from within.

The question for the Chinese authorities how long can they survive and can China really develop as a coherent society as a one party dictatorship. Just when does Chinese society reach a point when there is a consensus for social change and how will this change take place – either as an evolutionary process or as a step change.

From the perspective of the West, this will be highly problematic and dangerous as there is nothing as unstable as a bunch of privileged leaders trying to hold onto power. It should be expected (Chavez style) for the Chinese authorities to blame the US and Europe for their forthcoming woes.

As a believer in democracy, I cannot wait for the ruling Communist Party to be replaced and cannot see any other outcome if China is to move forward socially and politically.

Regards

reply to post by paraphi


Parphi
very nicely put, thanks for the post.
I agree this could be a sighn for change in China. I am a little more skeptical as to if it is actually going to happen. Like I said earlier, it did happen once, it could happen again. I just don't see high odds of that happening.

If China can overthrow their dictatorship so can we(Americans). I think every country needs to have their governments overthrown and replaced with a democracy that is terrified of the people, where they cling to our every whim. From Beijing to Riyadh all the way to Washington. Allow religious freedom back, allow personal freedom back by no more censorship or spying, allow more economic freedom by reducing taxes to the levels of eastern Europe. We can have our cake and eat it too, we just have to have a revolution. We can drop all of the debt from every country and build new currencies hopefully on gold and silver. We can do this right because now we know what is right, whether the people of Nepal want a Communist to run their country, that is their choice and we need to make the UN a place where all countries just talk so we can have stability instead of international control of our governments.

China need bibles.
Christianity is speading like wildfire in China.
That explains it all to me.

The Chinese people benefited immensely from the economic expansion worldwide and especially here in the US. The Chinese 'man-in-the-streets' was earning more and that set certain expectations. When the world economy imploded, so did the economy in China. Factories suddenly closed, huge numbers of workers abruptly lost their jobs and had to return to their rural towns. Almost overnight they went from a comparatively high standard of living (for them at least) back to subsistence. Understandably they're pissed and they're directing that anger at the government.

Originally posted by fmcanarney
China need bibles.
Christianity is speading like wildfire in China.
That explains it all to me.

I don't know if that helps explains social unrest but do you have evidence of that?

Originally posted by RedGolem

Originally posted by fmcanarney
China need bibles.
Christianity is speading like wildfire in China.
That explains it all to me.

I don't know if that helps explains social unrest but do you have evidence of that?

Right here... news.yahoo.com...

reply to post by Misoir


Yes the article you liked talks about how the Christin church is being crushed in China.

The closure of what may be China's first mega-church is the most visible sign that the communist government is determined to rein in the rapid spread of Christianity, with a crackdown in recent months that church leaders call the harshest in years.

Authorities describe the actions against churches as stemming from land disputes, but the congregations under attack are among the most successful in China's growing "house church" movement, which rejects the state-controlled church in favor of liturgical independence and a more passionate, evangelical outlook.sorce

That is further evidence of social unrest. The church being state controlled is something most people in free nations have trouble comprehending. But the bottom line is if the state controls the church, the have greater control of there people. So that is a good lesson to all in the free world, do not let state control religion, or religion control the state.