ST, you are no doubt correct on that. Heck, I'm not even living there and am definitely a foreign devil but I wonder if it's wise to do other than kneel to the profound wisdom of CCP, Hu Jintao and the absolute rulers of China.
Living there, right in their clutches, as a Chinese with not even a passport and no prospect of escape to anywhere else, I would definitely be gung ho for Hu Jintao.
I noticed though, when in China a year ago, that there is quite a lot of body language going on and like an Italian army backing Mussolini and Rommel and Adolf, I would not trust them to go to their deaths for the ideals of the leaders. I expect they'd surrender at the first opportunity.
My father reported how in WWII it took one Kiwi soldier to guard a whole swarm of surrendered Italian troops and they would even carry his gun for him. But it took a high ratio of guards to German prisoners as they were true believers in their Aryan and military superiority and would take any chance to attack.
When soldiers are asked to go into battle, the first question they will be asking themselves is "Why is this a good thing for me to do, who benefits and why can't I just stay home with my family and enjoy yum char and mah jong like the good old days?" The rulers have to try to convince them that it's for the motherland, or fatherland, and that the foreign devils are out to do them down if they don't defend themselves against evil.
I noticed in China a dual nature. The official, strict, straight and staunch rule-bound authoritarian pretence, but a millimetre under the surface, a human cacophony of individualism, fun and good cheer. Even under the military uniforms, not all the faces were convinced. A smile could easily come through in many instances. Not all of course and the taciturn and outright nasty were lurking all around.
Mostly it's just a matter of showing up, going by the rules and getting the money, waiting for a better day and a better job.
Mqurice |
