Sohu

[Pat McMahon]

There is far more social unrest and dissent here than people at home realise. It usualy relates to compulsory land clearances by the government with locals arming themselves, attacking police / gov't officials, and sometimes winning. This is never, ever shown on tv though.

Occasionally a factory will be sold to private owners by a local authority and the workers will revolt, often taking (government officials) hostages, occasionally killing them.

Beijing keeps a tight hold on all things within the city, but further afield it's more opaque, with cities and counties often disregarding government edicts if it suits them (ie there is money to be made)

[Kingthing]

There is far more social unrest and dissent here than people at home realise. It usualy relates to compulsory land clearances by the government with locals arming themselves, attacking police / gov't officials, and sometimes winning. This is never, ever shown on tv though.

Occasionally a factory will be sold to private owners by a local authority and the workers will revolt, often taking (government officials) hostages, occasionally killing them.

Beijing keeps a tight hold on all things within the city, but further afield it's more opaque, with cities and counties often disregarding government edicts if it suits them (ie there is money to be made)

Is that your front door being kicked in?

[dcdavecollett]

Ah! Human rights are alive and well in dear old England.

Good to see that Bloody Sunday, the Miners' Strike and near-murderous assaults on studenbt demonstrators never happened then!

[Chico Hamilton III]

Ah! Human rights are alive and well in dear old England.

Good to see that Bloody Sunday, the Miners' Strike and near-murderous assaults on studenbt demonstrators never happened then!

One of those incidents was 28 years ago, another was over 40 years ago ( and not in England), and I wouldn't compare the student demonstrators getting a bit of a shoeing with real human rights abuses.

Other than that, I pretty much agree with you

[Percy McCarthy]

It really was nice knowing you Pat.

[john e]

Anyone heard from the laughing policeman ? 
He seems to have disappeared since posting disparaging comments about the Chinese government,
Just getting a bit worried for him, unless he's gone out to stand in front of moving vehicles in the local square

[Pat McMahon]

It really was nice knowing you Pat.

I used my old boss' computer for that post....

Seriously, the Chinese will react and protest if money is involved. As you would expect in a developing country, improving your lot and earning more money is more important than political change.