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A4 Revolution in China May End Dictatorships Around the World
The global hunt for a liberal order may begin under the eastern sun
After three years of ever present zero Covid restrictions, the Chinese have seen enough. Discontent had simmered for a long time, waiting for a spark.
The spark came from “Urumqi, the regional capital of Xinjiang in western China, where at least 10 people died and nine others were injured in an apartment fire on Thursday”.
Everyone watched the videos. Several fire trucks struggling to extinguish the flames from a distance. People assumed it was due to zero Covid restrictions. Authorities blamed the cars parked near the fire site. Some speculated that the cars would not have been parked there if there had been no zero Covid.
There was no logical counter argument, so Urumqi’s simmering anger erupted. Then it slowly spread to other Chinese cities and towns.
The idea of using blank sheets of paper as a rallying cry against tyranny originated during the Hong Kong protests. The Chinese have replicated it now.
Taking action against a protestor who simply held up a blank sheet demonstrates the oppressive nature of the state to fellow citizens. You cannot take action without playing into the hands of the protesters, and if you take action you are still…
