Huge amount of flooding happening in southern China right now(link)
There is the argument that totalitarian governments respond better to disasters than democracies, but this has never been the case in mainland China.
When a disaster occours, the only thing that totalitarian governments are more able to do than democracies, is to hide / minimize the fact.
When a disaster occurs, the only thing that totalitarian governments are more able to do than democracies, is to hide / minimize the fact.
I cannot find a single video with a succinct summary because events are still unfolding.
I am perfectly aware, that no one on Lustria-Online dislikes the CCP as much as I, but we are in the middle of something historic.
Right now, protests are erupting different regions of China of a size and scope not seen since the Tiananmen Protest of 1989. The White Paper Revolution. It's worth looking up some videos or articles if you are even mildly interesting in China Watching.
Summing it as best as I can. The draconian restrictions to "stop the spread of Covid" have been causing economic hardship and constant grumblings for a very long time.
Recently, a fire in an apartment building claimed several lives. Because of the Covid restrictions, it was moderately harder for the residents to get out. It was extremely difficult for the fire fighters to get in to help. There were barricades and fences and cars that have not moved so long they have dead batteries and the fire fighter response time was hours after the fire broke out and limited to boot. Also, the apartment was officially classified as a "low risk area" but it still locked down harshly.
It is very obvious, even to generally patriotic Han Chinese that the government is severely understating the death toll. Local officials have blamed the few deaths they admitted to on the incompetence of the victims in getting away from the fire.
This isn't the first time that Covid restrictions directly led to people dying, but this was a flashpoint event. The Chinese people are already really fed up with the Covid restrictions and there is a rarely seen boldness in the protests around the country and greater national unity and empathy among the masses than normally seen.
It is called the White Paper Revolution because a lot of protesters are simply holding up blank pieces of paper or paper with abstract very vague and symbolic writing. Why? Because specific anti-government slogans are not allowed, but there is no law against holding up blank paper. When the paper is taken away, people still hold up their hands.
This is difficult for the CCP to oppress but they are certainly turning up their oppression apparatus.
I don't know if this is a giant turning point or anything (I don't think this means the CCP is about to collapse or reform), but this is one of the biggest changes in the status quo in China in quite some time.
My prediction is that China is going to look more and more like a bigger North Korea in the next ten years. They are making the country less welcoming to foreigners and more foreign companies are looking into pulling their factories and investments out of China. The CCP is stepping up their efforts to prevent locals from getting VPNs. I think China is going to get more insular, more oppressive, and more poor, but less able to oppress or interfere with people outside of China.
Not exactly a good thing, I feel bad for the Chinese people.
Lack of vaccinations for the elderly is also a catalyst, because it sends a big message about how little the government cares about the weak and vulnerable, which are the demographics in need of the most governmental protection.
I believe the CCP doesn't see this as a bug, they see it as a feature. I believe the party leaders on the mid levels and upper levels would be secretly relieved if a lot of their old people died off. The CCP views human life in terms of "what can this person do for me" and "what can this person cost me" and from a technocratic sociopath view, old poor people are pure liabilities.
Of course this goes against traditional Chinese culture which venerates the elderly greatly. The CCP undermines traditional Chinese culture at every opportunity only keeping the few aspects they find helpful.
I cannot find a single video with a succinct summary because events are still unfolding.
I am perfectly aware, that no one on Lustria-Online dislikes the CCP as much as I, but we are in the middle of something historic.
Right now, protests are erupting different regions of China of a size and scope not seen since the Tiananmen Protest of 1989. The White Paper Revolution. It's worth looking up some videos or articles if you are even mildly interesting in China Watching.
Summing it as best as I can. The draconian restrictions to "stop the spread of Covid" have been causing economic hardship and constant grumblings for a very long time.
Recently, a fire in an apartment building claimed several lives. Because of the Covid restrictions, it was moderately harder for the residents to get out. It was extremely difficult for the fire fighters to get in to help. There were barricades and fences and cars that have not moved so long they have dead batteries and the fire fighter response time was hours after the fire broke out and limited to boot. Also, the apartment was officially classified as a "low risk area" but it still locked down harshly.
It is very obvious, even to generally patriotic Han Chinese that the government is severely understating the death toll. Local officials have blamed the few deaths they admitted to on the incompetence of the victims in getting away from the fire.
This isn't the first time that Covid restrictions directly led to people dying, but this was a flashpoint event. The Chinese people are already really fed up with the Covid restrictions and there is a rarely seen boldness in the protests around the country and greater national unity and empathy among the masses than normally seen.
It is called the White Paper Revolution because a lot of protesters are simply holding up blank pieces of paper or paper with abstract very vague and symbolic writing. Why? Because specific anti-government slogans are not allowed, but there is no law against holding up blank paper. When the paper is taken away, people still hold up their hands.
This is difficult for the CCP to oppress but they are certainly turning up their oppression apparatus.
I don't know if this is a giant turning point or anything (I don't think this means the CCP is about to collapse or reform), but this is one of the biggest changes in the status quo in China in quite some time.
Also, Jiang Zemen just died, Xi Jinping's predecessor and one of his long-time rivals. It's not that revolutionary for a 96 year old man to die, but the timing is sort of symbolic given everything happening now.
Maybe, just maybe, the current chaos will cause Xi Jinping to fall from power but it really doesn't matter. Jiang Zemen was a murderous dictator and he was replaced by another murderous dictator. If Xi Jinping falls, he will be replaced by someone equally bad. BUT if a series of party chairmen get ousted relatively quickly, over and over, this might weaken the ability of the CCP to do evil things.
My prediction is that China is going to look more and more like a bigger North Korea in the next ten years. They are making the country less welcoming to foreigners and more foreign companies are looking into pulling their factories and investments out of China. The CCP is stepping up their efforts to prevent locals from getting VPNs. I think China is going to get more insular, more oppressive, and more poor, but less able to oppress or interfere with people outside of China.
Not exactly a good thing, I feel bad for the Chinese people.
But then, not just Communist China but a lot of societies throughout history have underestimated the value of the elderly as those who can pass on everything they have learned to the succeeding generations.