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NANLANG TOWNSHIP, China (AP) — Timid by nature, Shi Jieying took a risk last month and joined fellow workers in a strike at her handbag factory, one of a surging number of such labor protests across China.
Riot police flooded into the factory compound, broke up the strike and hauled away dozens of workers. Terrified by the violence, Shi was hospitalized with heart trouble, but with a feeble voice from her sickbed expressed a newfound boldness.
This has been noted for awhile. It is actually a very important story. It's about far more than strikes. It's about human nature and the stupidity of our leaders.
We engaged with China. We did business with China. We have had some growing pains but it sure beats war. People in China saw the things people in other parts of the world had. It had to suck to make large screen televisions knowing you couldn't own one.
The answer to many of our problems is not war but engagement.
This has been noted for awhile. It is actually a very important story. It's about far more than strikes. It's about human nature and the stupidity of our leaders.
We engaged with China. We did business with China. We have had some growing pains but it sure beats war. People in China saw the things people in other parts of the world had. It had to suck to make large screen televisions knowing you couldn't own one.
The answer to many of our problems is not war but engagement.
If China keeps going that way in pop numbers, it'll be in some real trouble in a few years because its average age is about 36 and getting older FAST.
The current regime has quadrupled detentions for speaking out for greater freedoms in the last 2 years. It is worried about losing control and trying to quash any resistance. The question is if the military will continue to support an aging ruling party's as opposed to the younger population demanding democracy.
If you have lived long enough then you remember when japan was the threat to American jobs ;not China. China was a one bowl of rice nation and in some parts it still is. Then Japan moved screwdriver type jobs to other Asian countries as labor to do it got too high to be competitive. The world was never going to stay as it was after WWII ;with many nations destroyed and bankrupt. For decades the warning on it to citizens have gone out but largely ignored. The last visit by premier of China; I remember him question why I such a advanced economy did we still have so many low skilled jobs and workers trying to fill them. The equality gap is as large as the skills gap in reality as we were warned for decades.
The current regime has quadrupled detentions for speaking out for greater freedoms in the last 2 years. It is worried about losing control and trying to quash any resistance. The question is if the military will continue to support an aging ruling party's as opposed to the younger population demanding democracy.
The real concern is a popular uprising. China has experience with that in the past. They have a different view of what their governments job is, for them its often about stability, and instability to them indicates a failure in their government.....which breeds more instability.
And its hard to say what the military will do. Theres a lot of hidden politics that occurs in China.
The real concern is a popular uprising. China has experience with that in the past. They have a different view of what their governments job is, for them its often about stability, and instability to them indicates a failure in their government.....which breeds more instability.
And its hard to say what the military will do. Theres a lot of hidden politics that occurs in China.
The problem is that China doesn't have an alternate political party for the workers to turn to other than the laughably labeled "Peoples Party".....run by the oligarchs. (just like in Russia)
They don't have free press.
No free internet.
No real weapons (political power comes from the barrell of a gun -Mao).
And a military willing to put down protestors at the drop of a hat.
Heck, the tianamen square protesters are largely viewed in China as troublemakers and they've never admitted that many were killed (1000ish by many accounts) but rather just a few.
Even now you can beat workers down over a handbag strike and there is no backlash here in the states.
Basically, change is going to have to come from pressure HERE and in their other markets in order for the Chinese workers to have any power.
P.S. A classic example of Animal Farm...I saw some kids of the pigs in Vegas recently riding around in Ferraris. Mao must be spinning in his grave at 4,000 rpm.
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