Then US can definitely have its way without considering what China thinks. But are you sure at that time US can have full bellies at home?

On the other hand, I have this feeling that a truly democratic China would be America's worst nightmare. Do you really want to democratize China any time soon?

To address your last comment--that a democratic China might not be in foreign interests--I think you miss the point. I've heard the argument made a few times before, and I can see why the Chinese elite would distrust the will of the masses. I don't think you're going to convince the rest of the world to distrust the Chinese masses, however, when the Chinese elite are busy harping on the very same anti-foreigner chauvinist and/or populist arguments that supposedly make the plebs so dangerous.

I suppose the author of this article is basing his opinion that the elites in Beijing like America better than the common Chinese on the possibility--I'm not well placed enough to know if this is true--that backroom conversations are more balanced and quid pro quo than the chest-thumping one hears from leaders' speeches and from Party mouthpieces. Again, it matters not. The Party is going to increasingly find itself bound by the will of the people, and chauvinistic sorts of populism are going to be the easier road to walk, by far, than adherence to popular grievances on domestic issues. Democratic or authoritarian, I think China is headed in a very dangerous direction; if neither option makes much difference in terms of anti-foreigner rhetoric, of course we will still be more comfortable with a transparent, accountable government.

As for what democracy in China might entail (in the near term), I think there are few if any people who imagine it would amount to more than intra-party democratic reforms or limited franchise. What this article discusses is missed opportunities for "teachable moments" that would be equally valuable no matter the form of China's politics.

There is only one challenge... that is in globalization and that is for everyone to adjust to the unity of mankind through justice and equality.

This means the Americans have to learn to live with exactly what the Chinese can live by. That is if every 70 families in China have one car, then every 70 families in America should have only one car or if a Chinese Doctor, University Professor lives in a one bedroom apartment then the American Doctor or University Professor should learn to live in a one bedroom apartment with his family. This is the only challenge.

Oh by the way, if the Americans are not working as hard and as long as their counterparts in China or are not at motivated or educated then they should settle for less - that is fair and just. This equalization of standards of living globally requires a great downward adjustment in American standard of living while others struggle to improve their standards to what Americans have undeservedly enjoyed for the last 2 decades on credit cards. But for the Wall Street frauds and American government lies - the global move toward equal standards of living or what the American economists call PARITY would have happened much faster and easier. There is no way out, this is the divine plan.

Now, give me the next Noble prize in economics for making it so simple.

If you could get passed the marketing hoopla and propaganda, you would see the more transparent government is China not the U.S.

I know Americans that are leaving America in disgust and migrate to other parts of the world after having their freedom of speech removed by the courts and threatened with serious penalties if they continued to expose the Feds and the Bankers' scams. And this is the treatment that those really in love with the country would get if they really tried to improve things and stop the injustice.

What do you think is behind the massive Brain-Drain that is going on in the U.S.? This is the number one cause of the U.S. economic demise and not Yuan devaluation. There is no economic gimmick or financial game that Bernanke, Geithner, Obama or the government of the U.S. can pull that can compensate for uneducated, lazy, overpaid and selfish U.S. workforce facing the challenge from motivated, educated and hardworking workforce of China, India, south east Asia or south America.

The Western MSM is attempting to pit "the average Chinese against its minorities..."? Well, that's IS an interesting conspiracy, I'll grant you that. By why would the Western MSM have such an agenda? And why would the average Chinese give a damn about what the Western MSM says about China? I don't think the average Westerner really cares what is said about them in the Chinese press. Why would the Chinese?

"By why would the Western MSM have such an agenda?"

Since the cold war it was the interest of the Western nations to contain China. Free Tibet movement started out as a CIA initiative. Freetrader sounds like one of these naive folks who thinks that Western MSM cannot be used as a government propaganda tool. The MSM for example was used by the US government to drum up support for the Iraq War. Why wouldn't western governments use MSM to pressure China?

"And why would the average Chinese give a damn about what the Western MSM says about China? I don't think the average Westerner really cares what is said about them in the Chinese press. Why would the Chinese?"

Because the Chinese media's depiction of the average Westerner is more objective and less insulting? Other than blinding arrogance I don't know why the average Westerner would not care about how Chinese media portrays them actually. If they want to Chinese to buy their goods and services, which is a big topic nowadays in the US, then they should care about their image in the Chinese media.

Well, no need for a point-by-point refutation here. You reveal your Xinhua origins with your ridiculous assertions about "Western media being a tool of the CIA". Obviously, complete BS. I love the part about the Dalai Lama being some sort of CIA creation - that's just wonderful. Oh, yeah, Richard Gere and all those Hollywood actors - they ALWAYS support the US government's line, don't they?

The fact is that no country has been a better friend to China, since 1972 (and for that matter, before 1949) than the US. And you, my friend, are either a knave or a fool.

Your automatic ad hominem attacks on XTIANGODLOKI as a "Xinhua" mouthpiece is disappointing, if not so common for the type of responses I've seen online to anyone who doesn't echo the same strident anti-China attacks.

What's more pathetic is all these expats who claim some iota of expertise on Chinese public opinion just because they've spent a few years there in China, likely most of the time with other expats.

The author of this article raises some constructive points, and I'm not surprised its written by Chinese American, who tend (with exceptions, of course) to make a more successful effort to understand the core cultural and political issues in China. Yes, I'm making a Sonya Sotomeyer moment, at least on this issue.

I appreciate that the author does not shy away from criticizing the Chinese government's many faults, but he boldly attempts to translate a more accurate picture to help inform American (and Western) policy to affect positive liberal democratic changes.

Folks like myself deplore the current ruling authoritarianism, but we also understand why the CCP has been so successful in staying in power and maintaining generally popular support. We refuse to believe that the Chinese public are simply propaganda-misled sheep (a common Western trope of the automaton Asiatic cultures), because we talk to our friends, our relatives, and see everyday the rich diversity and originality in the Chinese people. To me, the author is simply taking a page out of the Art of War -- to defeat your enemy, you have to understand it.

So call me what you will -- 50-cent shill, Xinhua mouthpiece, traitor -- just because I don't echo the pablum of typical anti-China ravings. It's almost as if there's an insecurity of all these supposed "China experts" (99 percent white men) are afraid of a little self-reflection of their own biases.

I responded to your remark, above. Unlike you, I'm not going to take up space on this forum by posting the same remarks twice. The article may have some good points - Xtian doesn't. Anyone who posits that the Dalia Lama is CIA-funded goon deserves to public humilian he gets in a non-Xinhua-sponsored forum.

I provided an example of how the US government used MSM as a propaganda tool to drum up the Iraq war and the best thing you can do is to accuse me of being a Xinhua agent? LOL what are you, 12?

If you want to learn more about Tibet you can try reading academic books on Tibet sometimes. CIA's Secret War in Tibet is a good start on how CIA operations work in general. It's written by Kenneth Conboy and James Morrison who are actually for Tibet Independence.

As for US being China's BFF, surely you are not naive enough to believe that countries do things out of good will right?

Your first two paragraphs aren't worthy of response.

Your last paragraph, however, I will respond to. The US didn't become China's friend out of the goodness of its heart, and I didn't say it did (although there has always been an element of idealism in America's relationship with China - after all, the US went to war with Japan once to protect China - it's just too bad for China that the aftermath of the war ended up benefitting Japan). The reason the US became China's friend was because the relationship benefited both parties. Which is exactly why the PRC needs to be careful that, as they get marginally more powerful, they don't continue on their current path of being increasingly reviled. If China has any friend in the World these days, it is the USA; and in fact, strategically the US is the only possible major ally that China could ever have. It isn't going to help China to alienate its only possible friend.

friend,enemy or interest?
There are no eternal friends and eternal enemies, only eternal interests!
Don't you think so?

Yes, I do think so.

China is hardly at war with the USA, it is in fact economically dependent on it. I did like your take on the current arrogance of the regime - as if one banking crisis in the West washes away sixty years of mass murder and economic mismanagement in China.

haha,you are so smart! At this time democracy can be very useful,it is the best way to break apart of China.When China carry out democracy, then we can control some parts of them,to make them war to each other.we needn't send anysoldier ,but we can send democracy to them to make them in to pieces.
At that time ,China will become dozens of countries!Then we can kill any country of them if we want.
this strategy is so cool!maybe the USA will carry it out very soon! Unite all the western countries to pressure China on human rights, force it to carry out democracy!then make it into pieces.how useful is the democracy.
After that,we never worry about China,we also can get lots of wealth from it to support our economy!

you are so smart!if we want to break apart of China,the best way is use democracy.
when China carry out democracy political system,we can control some parts of them,to make them war to each other.Maybe a civil war will begin. then we can make China into pieces,become dozens of countries,but never need send a soldier.
democracy is so useful,which can help us a lot.Maybe Obama can unite all the countries to pressure China on human rights ,force it to carry out democracy.Then we can see a pieces of China.
so cool is the strategy! just do it. then we can never worry about China.

for the typos. Didn't edit carefully, I'm afraid.

", the mass of Chinese is only too willing to believe the lies told by their betters in Beijing; particularly about economic issues and Chinas pending encirclement."

I am interested in just how you came to this conclusion. What popular forums do you read in order to form this opinion in order to generalize the "mass of Chinese". Can you even read Chinese? Because if you did, you will find that Chinese make millions of posts complaining about various economic issues from inflation to housing in China. The Chinese are not nearly as blind as your average expat in China.

"The best thing the Chinese could do for their nation (besides anything 'impossible', such as say, democracy) would be to get a grip on how their are quickly becoming disliked and feared throughout the rest of Asia"

You are confusing Chinese government with the people again. What good would it do for the average Chinese to know that they are becoming "disliked"? And what does being "disliked" mean anyway? According to PEW global research more countries "like" china better than the US. The question for other Asian nations is simple really: On the long term would it be their best interest to bow down to American hegemony or Chinese hegemony. Currently US hegemony sounds a lot more pleasant because the US is a bigger superpower. However for most of these asian nations, China is their number one importer of goods and their future revenue growth are heavily dependent on China's demands. Without China, Japan, Korea, Taiwan would immediately enter a recession. So these nations' depends on China just like China depends on the US. If there is anything the Chinese could do it would be to become even more efficient at what they do; improve the quality of their products while reducing the price.

In answer to your questions, yes, yes and yes. I do in fact, know what I am talking about, and furthermore, am quite capable of distinguishing between the people and the government of China. That doesn't impact my comments in the slightest, in fact, it provides the basis for them.

It's rather telling that when I ask Freetrader how how he came to his conclusion about views on the Chinese people, he employed the same old circular flawed logic that because he knows what he talking about therefore he is right.

Wishful thinking is ignorance in the making Freetrader, and I am actually fairly shocked at naive views on China although you claimed to live there for years and post quite often on FP. I guess you can't make a small minded person anything greater even you put that person in a dynamic environment, a sad but somewhat common thing among the expats in China.

I answered your questions and I think it is clear that my opinions about China, which you are not required to agree with, are based on something more substantial than reading the China Daily.

where did you get the substantial? give the evidence for us,or your conclusion can't stand!

Are you seriously suggesting that China Daily provides 'substantial' information? Or, alternatively, are you challenging me to list the many thousands of sources of information that are available in the West that AREN'T controlled by the CCP?

Also, while I appreciate your efforts to write in a language you clearly aren't very familiar with, I hope your English continues to improve.

FREETRADER - Double check your facts- I do not recall any invitation of American forces by any legitimate government. On the other hand recent invitations of China by African and Asian countries for economic cooperation (non-military), I do recall!

Japan, Germany, Panama, Korea, Vietnam, Yugoslavia, Iraq, Iran, Sudan and Afghanistan are some of the countries invaded or attacked by U.S. in the recent memory.

I have also worked and lived in China and the USA for decades - China no doubt is rising and the U.S. is falling economically. For each rise and fall the nations have no one to credit or blame but themselves. The globalization favors equilibrium and equal standards of living - or parity for all nations regardless.

The key factor is justice- the corruption of the justice system in the U.S. and the continuous improvement of justice system in China has been the number one factor in both the rise and the fall of these two economies! Get rid of the attorneys and corrupt federal and state judges to start the fundamental repair.

1. So Western government's propaganda via state run programs like VOA, but the Chinese state run propaganda are. If you are going to pretend to care about Chinese people put yourself in their shoes for one sec and ask yourself one question "Is the goal of VOA/Radio Free whatever to advance Chinese interest, or is to advance the interest of whatever the nation (US) which is funding these programs"? The Chinese government definitely wants to remain in power, but at least its interest is aligned with the Chinese people: The happier the people the longer they will remain in power.

2. If the anti-US indoctrination is so pervasive in China why the heck would Chinese buy things made in the US? Why are there so many more GM cars in China than Toyota? Why are American pop icons so popular in China? There is definitely a pro-Chinese government indoctrination in China but that isn't even work all that well. Never mind the "underground" channels, a medium which only the Chinese illiterate expats form their (often) misinformed opinions on, if you want to see Chinese complaining about their government you simply need to log onto China's most popular forums such as Tainya and MOP.

3. Finally, Epoch Times is a "intellectually respectable journal"? LOL.

Should read: So Western government's propaganda via state run programs like VOA is okay, but the Chinese state run propaganda are not.

Yes the Chinese do post to Chinese language discussion boards in the PRC to share their views about such matters as the high cost of housing, the persistent existence of poverty in the countryside, the desperate of need education reform, the need for political reform and, in addition to many other concerns, to complain roundly about the deeply rooted and endemic corruption that permeates and dominates every aspect of PRC life.

And they get censored. Their posts quickly disappear. Indeed, in the most developing provinces anyone who posts to a discussion board is required by law to also post his/her national ID number with each and every post. Serious and effective discussion is just not allowed. In fact it is PROHIBITED.

Propaganda is a Cold War term. Are you still in the earlier Cold War or are you involved in a new Cold War? The discussion concerns how the US and the West can create policy themes and communicate them to the population of the PRC. My references you cite are made in this respect and should not be taken literally, thanks.

However, translation to Chinese is necessary to communicate any message to the mainland Chinese. No one is discussing the real life question of how many mainland Chinese are competent in English or in any foreign language that uses the Roman (Latin) alphabet? Maybe 1% (one percent)? Precious few on the mainland can read the NYT or the FT, WSJ, FP etc etc. Everything has to be translated to them and then actually communicated to them. Who does this, at what expense and how?

Few online Western public affairs sites offer Chinese translations of even their major articles. How can the mainland Chinese actively access or receive any information or coherent policy themes when they can't read a Grade 5 English textbook? Certainly Beijing isn't going to translate FREETRADER from FP or anyone else from anywhere for its population to be able to read and consider.

Then we face the matter breaching the ever intensifying firewall, as I discuss above.

Nothing against the Falun Gong, and I appreciate why they are pissed at the CCP, but they is some wacked-out people. Really.

I have to disagree with those who try to draw direct parallels between organizations like VOA and the Chinese propaganda outlets like Xinhua. That's the type of college-radical simplicity that discredits what otherwise was a valid larger point, like Bush = Hitler or something.

The VOA is one very minor source of information in the English world, whereas among the mainstream media the CCP dominates all info. I'm not discounting that there are a lot of brave investigative journalists and regional papers in China... but comparing the level of control, the VOA doesn't justify the Chinese propaganda sources.

I've always liked the line from Ogden Nash, to "beware the man whose god is in the skies." To which I would add whose god is anywhere we can't see him/her.

Richard Dawkins has some good statements about the god delusion - in fact, more than a few excellent statements.

I've always liked the line from Ogden Nash, to "beware the man whose god is in the skies." To which I would add whose god is anywhere we can't see him/her.

Richard Dawkins has some good statements about the god delusion - in fact, more than a few excellent statements.

"And they get censored. Their posts quickly disappear. Indeed, in the most developing provinces anyone who posts to a discussion board is required by law to also post his/her national ID number with each and every post. Serious and effective discussion is just not allowed. In fact it is PROHIBITED."

Are you sure you are not talking about S.Korea? In SK there is a law there which forces people to use their national ID to post stuff on the forums. I was never asked to enter a national ID number (I don't have one) to post on Tianya, China's most popular discussion forum. The forums covers all range of topics but the discussions often involve people complaining about the government not doing enough to help people buy houses. Some of them run over ten thousand posts on a single topic and eventually becomes national news. That's when the government gets embarrassed and officials get fired.

China does practice serious censorship and many posts do get deleted. But you are deluding yourself if you think there are no serious discussions going on these forums.

PUBLICUS you also didn't answer my second point. Why do you feel that the Chinese are indoctrinated to be anti-American? Your earlier writing suggests that anti-US sentiment is a lot stronger in China than Sinophobia in the US. This apparently is a popular opinion and I would like to understand the factual components of this opinion. Boycotts of Japanese goods is popular in China but I have never heard anyone wanting to boycott the US or are even against the importing US culture. If there is anything which people don't like in general it would be for foreign entities telling them how to run their lives, so I can see Chinese challenging or reject the notion when Western expats try to convince the Chinese that a concept like Democracy will solve all of their problems, but that hardly equates to anti-Americanism.

"have to disagree with those who try to draw direct parallels between organizations like VOA and the Chinese propaganda outlets like Xinhua. "

Point taken. From an impact point of view I definitely agree. Xinhua influences far more people and is a direct propaganda machine straight from the government.

I'm certain I'm not taking about S Korea where I recently lived and worked and which is a democracy, and which as I write is hosting the G-20 meeting.

I am certain I'm speaking of the increasing number of the PRC most developing provinces (not yet every single one) which only in the current year have issued diktats (PRC laws) requiring mainland posters to provide their national ID to posts made at certain discussion boards.

While I lived and worked until very recently in the PRC, I knew many Chinese who object to the status quo and who made posts to internet discussion boards (and continue to do so) but, when they question the honesty of the government, its dictatorial powers, the massive and pervasive corruption etc that are the root of the PRC's self liming existence, find their posts deleted almost as quickly as they are posted - in short, censored.

You obviously do not fall into this category, as it's more than reasonable to recognize you don't advocate the Nobel Peace Prize Laureate BothLiu Xiaobo views in the PRC. Quite to the contrary. I mean, here you are at FP defending the dictators in Beijing.

The grudge mentality of the PRChinese is induced hypnotically on the population from Beijing. The history of the past 200 years especially, i.e., of China's being dissembled by the Western powers and Japan, is taught in the schools of the PRC to include having the self-disciplined patience quietly to bide their time until the present incarnation of the arrogant and smug, self-satisfied Chinese who suffered over the past 200 years can reclaim/reassert their position as the Middle Kingdom aka the central country.

Present PRC university majors and graduates in International Economics and Trade (IET) are the most militant super Chinese who make US super patriots look lame and as mild milquetoast wimps. Even as the militant IET students and recent graduates salivate over their delusion of minimizing the US through trade, these fiercely uncompromising super Chinese IET majors/graduates crave US soft power. Several approached me at the university where I taught in the (rapidly developing) South of the PRC to assist them to buy an Iphone4 from the United States for the prestige of having an Iphone4 from the US.

The PRC in contrast hasn't any soft power. The PRC is as culturally barren as is the CCP that rules it.

I don't think there is any reason to try to address every silly comment you make in your losing battle with Publicus, but this one is another classic:

"PUBLICUS you also didn't answer my second point. Why do you feel that the Chinese are indoctrinated to be anti-American?"

I assume you are Chinese, given your name, your opinions, and your stilted English syntax. You must know, then, that Chinese students are still forced to read Marx, and worse, Lenin, who talks about the importance of liquidating the capitalist classes and need to destroy the Western Democracies? After all, YOU had to read them also. Are you so ignorant a Western society that you don't realize that you were indoctrinated? Do you really think that the govenment is not presented a slanted view of the world?

You need to get out of Beijing, buddy.

Agreed, the Falun Gong are definitely gongers. But so are the Christians, Jews and Muslims, not to mention the Hindus, Buddhists and the whole gang of 'em who claim they have the one and only universal Truth.

As the US poet Ogden Nash wrote long ago, "Beware the man whose god is in the skies." In the modern globalized world, we need to beware anyone who has a god and participates in the god delusion, as Richard Dawkins well terms it.

However, the absurdity of religion does not necessarily justify the persecution of it because persecution of religion is no better than the promotion of it. In fact, persecution per se is far worse than advocacy per se.

Even if a westerner spent some time in China, he/she could mostly likely get the wrong impressions. Very often they will be mislead and confused by their informants either because the Chinese "face" problem or their deceptive tactics. I would say FREETRADER knows very little of how most Chinese think in their hearts, judging from his/her comments.

Exactly my sentiments. Folks like FreeTrader claim expertise from a ridiculously limited and, frankly, antagonistic view of the Chinese common man. Unfortunately, folks like FreeTrader are in high demand for their "expertise" by the old boys network of so-called China hands in the East Coast.

I am completely sure that is the problem. I just have a bad 'impression' of China. I'm sure that's all it is.

The sad thing about this discussion is that I am very pro-China. It is pathetic that, in any forum like this where China is discussed realistically and not as some heaven on earth paradise that it destined for endless greatness with its brilliant leaders seflessly guiding the helm of the state on behalf of the great Han people, the "how dare you malign China" idiots, with their stilted English syntax and obvious political agenda, join the fore.

I am an American, and am free to criticize my country all I want, and I will do the same with China. Until the Chinese get comfortable doing the same thing (and not just railing against corrupt officials on the internet) China is going to remain politically retarded.

If you are Chinese, I suggest you go to Taipei some time. There you have a free, properous, and democratic society. It is no wonder they are 15 times richer, and infinitely more happy than the mainlanders, and whatever their political beliefs, will no longer consent to being told what to think by any fool who calls himself a Great Helmsman.

> I suggest you go to Taipei some time.
Done that. I would call them happy people though.

How easily Publicus illustrates my point about the arrogance of a few Mandarin-speaking expats pretending authority on China matters. I hope y'all reread his statement:

"Those among us who have spent significant time in the PRC know this readily and know it well. No one should attempt to belittle or dismiss this because it only reveals the nature of the Chinese over the past 5000 years, i.e., to be inborn, inbred, ingrown, ignorant and therefore impossible to connect with or to move because of their willful failure to connect to the modern and future world."

I'll say it again. The audacity of arrogance is sickening.

Chinese history is littered with disasters and mistakes that were fundmentally brought about by China's assumption that, as the Middle Kingdom between the Barbarians, it was already perfect and did not need to change anything. From the Qing Emperor's high-handed response to Lord MacCartney ("...we have no need of your ingenious devices...") to Hu Juntao's presumtion that because of the financial crisis, China has nothing to learn from the West, the Chinese tendency to turn inward and behave as either a bully or a victim, with no middle ground, seems destined to keep China isolated and poor for the rest of history.

In response to Commodore Perry's Black Fleet, Japan trained a whole generation of engineers in English and Western Science, and within fifty years had built a modern industrial society. China's response to the Opium Wars was to look even more inward and search for simple political solutions to their country's problems, in an increasingly desperate attempt to keep the foreigner influence out.

China is now run by a government that, after 30 years of economic mismangement and mass murder/starvation, has had 30 years of reasonably good economic growth. That government is now celebrating the 'global dominance' of the 'China Century' because China's overall GDP is now equal to that of Japan's, a country less than one-tenth the size of China and with virtually no natural resources. Hmm. Which country would you rather be? China's response, of course, to the unwillingness of Japan to genuflect is to create a couple of completely pointless international incidents, making it very clear to every other nation in Asia that China is not to be trusted with even the (not so great) power it now brandishes.

So, while I hope these trends change it is a truth universally aknowledged that the more confident China feels, the less successful they are ultimately likely to be.

My statements about China are indeed harsh because they are, in significant part, the direct reaction to statements the 5000 year old super Chinese element of the PRC population said to me concerning the United States. The contemporary super Chinese element of the PRC are not the only ones to make derogatory statements against the US devil barbarians.

Here's a selected sampling of some criticisms of the people of the US and of the USA itself.

"The 100% American is 99% an idiot." --George Bernard Shaw.

"A single nation that has succeeded in lowering the intelligence, the morality, the quality of the human race almost throughout the globe is a phenomenon never before experienced since the beginning of time. I accuse the United States of being in a constant state of crime against humanity." -- Henry de Montherlant.

"America is the only nation in history which has gone miraculously directly from barbarism to degeneration without the usual interval of civilization." -- Georges Clemenceau

And I'd throw in one more quote to boot:

"One of the delightful things about Americans is that they have absolutely no historical memory." -- Chou En-Lai.

I think a number of us would concede that, given the crowd he was a part of, Chou En Lai was something of a class act, but then again, he did look a lot better largely because of the company he kept and because some leaders are like whores and old buildings, i.e., they gain respectability with time. Chou also famously responded to a reporter's question concerning what he thought of the French Revolution by saying, "It's too early to tell." Chou indeed was as slow as his ancestors were and as are the present PRC Chinese.

JOSHUAXANADU, given that you allow matters to get under your skin, you might want to adopt a COMMENTS diet that thickens it. Perhaps then you might be able to reduce your sense of indignance, not to mention getting beside yourself.

BTW, where's China's Rousseau? Where's China's Chomsky? Adam Smith?

Nevermind.

Just anecdotally, I was reading the South China Morning Post yesterday and the focus was on inflation in the PRC. The article quoted a retired grandmother who used to eat an apple a day, but now the price of an apple is about RMB 6 (almost USD $1) she can no longer afford the luxury.

Perhaps not reflective of anything, but it seems plausible that the fanatical economy pumping engaged in by the PBOC is simply creating massive, hidden inflation that is hitting the most vulnurable in society. Besides the pathos of some grandmother denied one of her few luxuries, you have a generation for whom a middle-class life (wife, flat, maybe a car, and a kid) is a dream rapidly vanishing in the distance.

I don't know where it will all end, but it can't be good.