generalspeaking

Chinese Social Activism

Aristotle wrote that when a society was weighted overbearingly by the poor, without a middle class, "troubles arise, and the state soon comes to an end". That may very well be true, but perhaps there are other truths, as well.

If a state is brutal enough to rule with no reservations and no restraints, yet resilient enough, it changes its tack somewhat to accommodate reality to which both it and the population adapts. Communist China, observing the success of British-influenced Hong Kong, altered its position with the return of immensely prosperous and continental Hong Kong to Chinese rule.

Henceforth, in view of the wealth and international influence that the once-British colony enjoyed, China would become a Communist-capitalist state. Private property would be encouraged, and private enterprise as well, deviating from the tradition of state-owned capital and enterprise. Wealth lay, the Communist authorities, realized, in peoples' choice, in their freedom to become entrepreneurs, to see the value that would accrue to them as a result of their hard work.

And the state would benefit as well, needless to say, as the country began to acquire wealth. In encouraging the free enterprise system to blossom in China, a middle class arose from among the ranks of the countless millions of poor, struggling to make ends meet. China adjusted well to the change, for it was a positive change despite the tenacity of Communist rule. The result was a growing, a burgeoning middle class with money to spend and a growing influence.

That middle class has come up against another reality, that their government, in its anxiety to usher into China unbridled opportunities for commerce and trade, hesitated to enact limitations to growth. Environmental damage as a result of chemical discharge, fouling water sources and air, coal-fired furnaces to produce energy further fouling the atmosphere and the air that everyone breathed, and short-cuts in food production permitting cheap and dangerous fillers harmed human health.

There is a slow, but growing backlash. Beijing has long wrestled with how much latitude to offer the people, that rather than continue to stifle dissent and complaints, people should be able to lodge complaints, and the authorities would take note. People complain, the authorities take note, but do not necessarily do anything to ameliorate the situation. Though there have been round-ups of those abducting and placing indigents into slavery, and prison terms and worse for those who poison food sources.

China would like to achieve - among its disparate population, with many languages, reflecting many cultures and religions - harmony. Of course harmony between people with competing claims to land and natural resources and business opportunities is fairly well unachievable, particularly when one large indigenous demographic is favoured over others.

China now deals with roughly 100,000 "disturbances" annually. Police are ever on the alert, to handle all manner of protests and dangerous outbreaks of violence. But a new type of protest that has erupted now heralds a new kind of power in the hands of the people.

In the port city of Dalian, enough of its middle-class residents turned out in a near-spontaneous and orderly protest march to inform the local government that they held their health and the status of their beautiful city too dearly to meekly submit to endangerment. Which came in the form of a chemical plant toxic leak.

"I was so surprised when I saw so many people were there. I had no idea so many would come. I think the police underestimated us and how much people care about their environment and their city. In my memory Dalian has always been a clean, beautiful coastal city. We cannot endure its destruction."

Nor need they now. For the $1.5-billion chemical factory that generated $325-million in tax revenues annually has been shuttered. It was made abundantly clear that the protest was not one directed against the government, but quite particularly against a factory that threatened to diminish the quality of life of the residents of the city.

Leading up to the demonstration which was arranged through the use of social media and the Internet, the political neighbourhood committees of the city warned residents not to attend. Students received SMS messages warning of "severe consequences" that would accrue to them should they take part in the protest. Government employees were forewarned that they would lose employment.

In the end, government acquiesced to the demands of the people. These represented people with a determined voice, insisting that they be heard and their complaints and concerns taken seriously. As much as China has attempted to control the Internet and communications through social networking sites, technology moves on regardless.

"Activism has taken a new direction in China. There has been more issue-based causes that people can identify with." Joshua Rosenzweig, Hong Kong Dui Hua foundation.

Labels: China, Communication, Conflict, Social-Cultural Deviations

posted by Pieface @ Thursday, August 18, 2011