For decades, China watchers played down the rise of a viable opposition to the Communist Party, citing the invincible iron hand of the Party and excessive government controls, which made it impossible for citizens to organize.
Increasingly frequent social conflicts and economic downturn have not only presented China’s regional governments with overwhelming financial pressure, but also caused the central government a serious funding problem for its stability maintenance system.
When Chinese tax authorities went after artist-cum-activist Ai Weiwei in November 2011 for alleged tax fraud, many Chinese saw the allegations as a transparent attempt to muzzle the popular social and political critic, who had taken up a number of causes in recent years. So it came as no surprise...
I have a friend who opened a coffee shop on the 20th floor of an office building downtown. He did not advertise it or have a business plan. He does not even try to get new customers. The only people who go to his shop are patrons from his previous coffee shop and a few others they bring with them...
