China’s princelings

Grappling in the dark

A cloud descends over the Communist Party’s succession plans

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Readers' comments



Princelings? I guess the Communist Party does have the Mandate of Heaven.....

Tai Chi

The princeling phenomenon should be covered extensively but its noteworthy to compare the coverage of the 2004 US presidential election. Two members of Skull and Bones ran against each other. It was a moment that should have prompted some reflection on social mobility in the US. (Especially when paired with the later UK general election in 2010 which brought to the helm a member of another elitist university society.) Was there ever an article about Anglo-American princelings?

It goes to show that the Economist and other English language publications can often times be more critical about similar flaws that outside countries share.


But then in 08 the US elected Mr. FromAPoorFamilyBama as president.
China has zero chance of doing anything even remotely similar under the current system. (Mao, Deng, and Jiang do not count because they rose up the CPC when China was ACTUALLY socialist)

Well obviously you won't get perfect social mobility unless you have truly pure socialism, but nobody rational (aka not including the Occupiers) actually thinks that perfect social mobility is either desired or feasible. Mostly people just want to give the poor a legitimate chance.
You gave three examples of US presidents who rose through the ranks from poor families. But in contrast under China's current system there is zero chance of such an event happening.

Many who will take seats on the executive committee will be from humble, remote origins including the future PM. "Zero chance" is very inaccurate.

Yes, there have been in the past 50 years remarkable risers such as Johnson and Clinton (again Obama is not like them; it's not so much about coming from a middle class or poor family but clawing to the top based on relentless individual initiative) but my point is not that the system is closed off but the striking parallel between Chinese princelings and their Anglo American counterparts.

My point: There's a lot of coverage about the many princelings in Chinese politics but in the past 10 years the contest for the top leadership posts in the UK and US have included 3 men from the premier elitist, connected organizations of their countries. (S&B takes in 20 a year. Bullingdon about the same.) It's startling and undercovered by publications like this one that should care and obviously in their China coverage have an eye on inequality and political opportunity.


"My point:"
Yes but in the UK and US heads of states are elected in (generally) fair elections, so few complain. In China the process is closed off so who knows what goes on behind closed doors, and thus controversies in Western media emerge.

BurkeanPluralist in reply to Tai Chi

I think that just stems from two things: 1. The desire to demonize China in all ways possible. 2. A misguided attempt to pain China as hypocritica: They call themselves socialist but they have powerful families!! >_<

For the parallel, I completely agree with you. Wealth and power is passed down through generations and nepotism is human nature.

ChinaObserver in reply to Tai Chi

You are not honest here. western media reported their election problems widely. Some even claims that Bush stole the election. Have you seen any reports of this incident in Chinese media besides the official talking points? Come on, don't be so defensive if you think you are right. Let people voice different views.


China is like a huge ship with a lot of holes underwater. The ship has gone too long from the shore to return and repair. Most on board keep using the distance it sailed to convince themselves that it will reach dreamland one day. They resist anyone who tell them that there are holes and we need to fix it. But those in the command rooms know the truth. These guys keep sending their children to other ships.

I used to defend this regime all the times on TE against "foreign interference". How stupid am I!!!

Don't worry once China stops growing at 9-10% a year there will be a popular movement within China to ditch the CPC.

Not even the CPC's elites actually believe in the CPC; they only pretend to still be socialists so that they can stay in power.

You don't really know. The problem is not solely on CPC. Substituting CPC with any other groups of people you will get the same result, or even worse. Mainland is cursed by the nationalism and arrogance. I know it, because I was blinded by that sentiment before.

This is really desperating. I don't believe there is anyone who can save this country.

Mr. Ma and his KMT?

Maybe once the CPC falls then China could finally be reunited with Taiwan under TW's system of government. The result would probably be a SG style single-party dominance under the KMT or whomever.

Also I can save China, if you make me your king...

It is stupid to believe that this ship has no problems. It is even more stupid to believe that others can solve your own problem.
God loves this country, though he hates its sins. He must have left a door or at least a window open to us. What we need to do is to face the truth.

Well if you believe that a god has the answers for China then you had better get out of Chinese politics quickly.

BTW you still haven't answered my question of which god is God. It sounds like one of the Christian gods is your God but I can't tell if its the Mormon version who lived in New York in the 19th century or the Catholic version who talks to the Pope.


I wake up one morning and suddenly realize that my home country is built on a heap of lies. Except for blind nationalism and money, what else hold China together today?

Or consistent GDP and living standards growth.

Tell me, Troll, did you go by Modern Asia until recently? The domination of the comment section, despising attitude for the US, and general trollishness tend to make me think so, but your writing style seems different. Regards,

BurkeanPluralist in reply to rubin_wang

How about a shared cultural tradition that goes back thousands of years, is unique, and is rivaled only by the West in its depth and complexity? Even if the CCP falls, someone else will take its place as things have always happened in China.

Can you point to any developing country that is not filled with corruption? That's life. .

Umm actually I have very good understanding of China. If you would like to refute my claims then please do.

Otherwise a non-relevant ad hominem attack with no content serves no purpose for either you, myself, or anyone else who reads your post.

BTW of course not all Chinese hate America, or Japan, or want to be a global superpower; but some do I was merely offering suggestions on what keeps China together.

But have you seen those super popular anti-Western or anti-Japan kung fu movies released in China?

Apart from America never having exerted any territorial claims on China and funding Chinese schools and hospitals, opening its universities to Chinese nationals for the last hundred years and sending food and other aid in times of famine (as it has done even in very recent times to starving citizens of other America-hating idiot states such as North Korea) how is it that the hatred is well-deserved?

Mostly because of the irrationally angry Republican (some Democrat too) rhetoric toward China. Honestly there is probably more anti-China hostility in the US toward any country since the Soviet Union.

Have you been watching the Republican debates?

Everything you've listed were very minor accomplishments, and I can list many many minor things the US has done to piss off China too. But the main reason for this Chinese hatred is retaliatory-hatred for angry American-hatred. (But the Chinese still hate Americans a lot less than the Americans hate the Chinese)


Perhaps the correspondent of the Economist should visit Chongqing and speak to a few locals before submission of his latest article. In addition to jailing the old mafia and assuming control himself of the underworld in his new fiefdom, Mr Bo has also conducted old-style communist activities to draw attention to himself. None of this display of power has endeared himself to the local populace. Nothing is further from the truth to describe him as a popular local ruler. In fact, Mr Bo's unpopularity everywhere he has ever ruled can only be matched by the scandals of his own family.


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