“Deteriorating relations between communities and committees could destabilise the [Chinese Communist Party]’s entire system of repression,” writes onglynette in a guest essay
of political power in China allows the Chinese Communist Party to tightly control society. In the past week demonstrations over President Xi Jinping’s “zero-covid” policy in cities across the country, involving people from a variety of backgrounds, came as a surprise. That is probably because citizens rarely protest against government measures in this way; simultaneous national resistance to them is less common even than in other autocratic states, such as Russia.
Mobilising the masses to control society—which I call “outsourcing repression” in my research—has imperial roots. In thesystem, introduced in the Song dynasty and perfected in the Ming and Qing dynasties, the government would bundle together a few households into a group and make them spy on each other. Mutual surveillance also entailed collective punishment: deviant or subversive behaviour of any individual would implicate all the other families.
Unsurprisingly, efforts to curb the pandemic went from being reasonable to being zealous and then preposterous. Persuasion wasn’t enough to get citizens to obey extreme measures. Elderly patients in need of urgent medical attention did not receive the treatment they needed, and consequently died, because of delays due to pandemic measures. Infants were separated from their mothers and sent to quarantine facilities for monitoring.
South Africa Latest News, South Africa Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Chris Dawson: Husband in podcast-famous case jailed for murderChris Dawson is sentenced for killing his wife Lynette Dawson, who disappeared in Sydney in 1982.
Read more »
Some Chinese cities end Covid lockdowns and businesses reopen after protests🔴 Local authorities in Guangzhou announced that lockdowns would be lifted in seven districts of the southern city, following confrontations between police and demonstrators on Tuesday. Schools, restaurants and businesses are to reopen.
Read more »
Chinese GP cancelled due to Covid 'difficulties'Formula 1 confirms the 2023 Chinese Grand Prix will not go ahead because of the country's 'ongoing difficulties' with Covid.
Read more »
Chinese embassy move to Tower Hamlets rejected by councilThe embassy would have become the largest in the UK under the plans to move China's offices to east London
Read more »
Lifting of lockdowns in major Chinese cities signals shift in COVID stance after wave of protestsLess than 24 hours after violent protests in Guangzhou, authorities in the sprawling port city - as well as Chongqing, Zhengzhou, and the capital Beijing - announce they are easing COVID restrictions.
Read more »
Chinese students and young workers look to Hong Kong for a better future\n\t\t\tKeep abreast of significant corporate, financial and political developments around the world.\n\t\t\tStay informed and spot emerging risks and opportunities with independent global reporting, expert\n\t\t\tcommentary and analysis you can trust.\n\t\t
Read more »