mandate

I’ve been a bit remiss with Sichuan earthquake blogging. For now, let’s just leave it with the news that Hong Kong’s most popular tabloid just published an editorial to the effect that the earthquake, the Tibet uprising et al indicates that the CPC are losing the Mandate of Heaven. Or at least that it means that they should believe that they’re losing it. Seriously:

…some of the important persons in Zhongnanhai are into fengshui, face reading and metaphysics. If they think that these frequently occurring natural disasters represent "reprimands from the Gods," then maybe they will be less willing to let corruption spread, oppress protests in Tibet, arrest dissidents such as Hu Jia, suppress freedom of speech or engage in other acts of tyranny. Apart from speaking of "interests" all the time inside and outside of China, they ought to be speaking of "benevolence and righteousness."

The sad thing is that Apple Daily is also Hong Kong’s most prominent pro-democracy paper. And this is all it apparently has to offer. Enlightenment, how are ya?

Relatedly, Jonathan Ansfield is reporting that Beijing has issued no reporting instructions to state media covering the quake. That's a first, and it's especially interesting given the open public criticism of local cadres by survivors.

Comments

[Nick L]

Is open public critiscism of cadres likely to be the *point* of giving reporters a field day? Corrupt officials are lambasted and dashing Wen is lauded. The central authorities positioning themselves as the protectors of the people from corrupt local oppressors is a time honoured tactic, popular with the Romanovs.

[jamie]

The interesting thing is that there's no guidance at all. People like Wen Jiabao are performing for the media, but not trying to spin it towards a pre-determined outcome. In other words you're getting more straight reporting out of this in China than you did in Britain last year in re Gordon Brown and the floods. Of course, there's the Hu Jia example for local journalists to bear in mind.

[Demon]

The problem with the 'God is punishing us for our sins' interpretation of natural disasters is that it proves anything you like. God punished us because the government has acted too severely or too leniently - you can justify both propositions.