China suffering mass prolonged protests over covid policies.

[Morpheus, the unwoke.]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=eT5_a0m4Rcw

For the first time since Chinese tanks crushed protests in Tiananmen square, there have been mass public protests, some forceful, in China. They've been going on for nearly a week now. The policies are over massive large scale lockdowns lastibg weeks or months over covid tgst have shut in millions of people repeatedly for about 3 years now.

Protests in Russia against pooty, protests in Iran against oppression of women and human rights violations and now protests in a country that last used tanks when the people protested. Seems like people are getting tired of totalitarianism and oppression.

I'd like to talk about people rebelling against tyranny, if possible. I'm hoping it doesn't go off into a long tangent.

[lester1/2jr]

Generals fighting the last war

[Morpheus, the unwoke.]

Generals fighting the last war

Those get a lot of their own people killed...

[Rev. Powell]

The protests in Iran, China and Russia give me a little but of hope for the world.

[Alex]

I don't think by themselves these protests will overthrow governments. I don't think they quite on the path that swept through the middle east a few years back, but I hope it is steps along the path that leads them to a freer type of government if that is what the people want. I'd be happy if they were though and hope that it ended better for them than it has for the people of Libya and Syria.

[ER]

I think it was Toynbee who pointed out that wars and violent revolutions tend to come during times of improving conditions, so sometimes protests make me nervous. Of course I'm also all in favor of people having better lives and admire the courage it takes to face down a violent government.

[lester1/2jr]

there are protests in russia?

[Alex]

there are protests in russia?

They are cracked down on by the security forces quite heavily, but yes there are protests. One day in September saw over 1300 people arrested alone.

[Morpheus, the unwoke.]

Looks like emperor Xi has backed down on the covid policy. A little.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ChrOpdAr7fY

[ralfy]

I shared this in another thread: some Westerners living in China also point out that hundreds of protests take place every year, and many of them involve not just against things like lockdowns but also local politicians grabbing land, bank runs, and poor work conditions in places where electronic gadgets are manufactured from outsourcing of companies in rich countries.

I also visited some right-wing fora which naturally blame China, Russia, gays, Muslims, etc., for any societal ills, and there appears to be threads every year or so of China falling apart and revolution taking place since 2010.

Here's where it gets weirder: according to one source, Harvard conducted on-the-ground studies with careful avoidance of any biases, and discovered that the approval rating of the Commies is around 90+ pct. However, most Chinese aren't Communists but capitalists: they want to do business in the long-term. The conclusion of the studies is that the only reason why the CCP has been able to retain power is because of unprecedented economic growth: something like 7 pct on average the last four decades, one of the highest in the world, and where they essentially lifted something like 800 million people out of poverty in only two decades, and mainly through manufacturing and mechanized agriculture.

[Alex]

There are unconfirmed reports that Iran has announced they are disbanding the morality police and looking at the law requiring women to wear hijabs.

[ER]

I shared this in another thread: some Westerners living in China also point out that hundreds of protests take place every year, and many of them involve not just against things like lockdowns but also local politicians grabbing land, bank runs, and poor work conditions in places where electronic gadgets are manufactured from outsourcing of companies in rich countries.

I also visited some right-wing fora which naturally blame China, Russia, gays, Muslims, etc., for any societal ills, and there appears to be threads every year or so of China falling apart and revolution taking place since 2010.

Here's where it gets weirder: according to one source, Harvard conducted on-the-ground studies with careful avoidance of any biases, and discovered that the approval rating of the Commies is around 90+ pct. However, most Chinese aren't Communists but capitalists: they want to do business in the long-term. The conclusion of the studies is that the only reason why the CCP has been able to retain power is because of unprecedented economic growth: something like 7 pct on average the last four decades, one of the highest in the world, and where they essentially lifted something like 800 million people out of poverty in only two decades, and mainly through manufacturing and mechanized agriculture.

Ralfy, the day Harvard does ANYTHING without biases is the day pigs fly.

[Rev. Powell]

There are unconfirmed reports that Iran has announced they are disbanding the morality police and looking at the law requiring women to wear hijabs.

Good news if true. We'll see how far they actually go.

[lester1/2jr]

I was talking to a guy from Turkey the other day. It is not uncommon for women from oppressive Middle Eastern countries to go there to wear mini skirts and so forth.

[Morpheus, the unwoke.]

Gee, a poll taken in a hyper authoritarian state says the people support tge state. Imagine my amazement. Could it be that saying you don't support the state in such a country could get you a scholarship to a re education facility?