There is some tradition of criticism to the ruler implied in the Confucian ethic. The Chinese have a great sense of history. This tradition is carried by writing chronicles, essays and biographies of the events and ambience during a reign. At the end of a dynasty scholars of the new dynasty get together with the scholars of the past dynasty to write a history of the late dynasty. The tradition is still alive. Communist and Kuomintang scholars got together after the communist take over to write a history of Kuomintang China.

There is a story illustrating the tradition of criticism. In writing the court annals the official historian described some of the emperor's acts as murder. The emperor requested the historian to change the description. He refused, was executed and replaced by his son. The son refused. After a succession of executions the emperor gave up, and the description of the emperor remained in the annals. Mr. Hennessy mentioned the few brave souls in current China who speak out and suffer. They are also part of the tradition.

Brian
This is waffle, not analysis.The "reality" for Australia is China`s precarious banking system. Leslie

Brian - I don't consider your article to be waffle. The more one gets to know about, and to percieve the different layers of reality in, a country, the clearer the picture of international relations becomes. And the less parochial one's outlook, the more one is able to contribute to realistic strategies for outcomes.

However, I do so truly hope you are wrong in a couple of things you've said.

From where I am - teaching at a University in Ningbo - the more I see the older ones as the reactionaries and the stumbling blocks to change, and the more I pin my hopes on these, the first products of the One-child policy.

The reason I have for this is that, though tentatively, the very question you rightly claimed is not part of the culture, is starting to be asked: "why?".

The influence of the Internet, and foriegn films (however one views that particular product)and exchange education programmes is only going to increase and young people who, as a group, are a-political are starting to speculate about different realities.

All seem to be united in seeing the need for change in education which, while it indeed may not lead to a revolution, at least makes these future parents far more accepting of change for their own children than their parents were.

In a few years time these are going to be the ones running things and I see a difference in outlook between them and their parents and educators that, while not ushering in an era of change in itself, at least paves the way.