In a rare collective show of defiance, Chinese citizens are clashing with police over draconian lockdown conditions.
Apartment doors welded shut, barricades erected, people dragged off the streets. Unregistered migrant workers get zero social support while locked down. Small businesses losing revenue.
Consequently, protests are erupting throughout China. Shockingly, many are openly calling for President Xi Jinping’s resignation.
What is Xi’s next move?
If he loosens restrictions Xi loses face, runs the risk that an emboldened citizenry demands even more concessions, and Covid potentially runs rampant.
If he doubles down on the lock-downs we may be looking at stiffer crack-down. There are numerous reports of heavy armor and massive police reinforcements moving towards protest sites.
Chinese history and strongman politics point to option 2 as the more likely scenario. Autocrats must lay down the law if they are to stay in power and it doesn’t look like these protests are winding down on their own.
A reflection of global stress
The Chinese protests are a symptom of a broader global issue. The world is becoming multi-polar, nationalistic and autocratic. The world’s richest men fly to space while average people struggle to keep a roof over their heads. Elites take private jets to COP27 while environmentalists are arrested at the doors to the conference.
The inequality will become more apparent as we approach year-end when most workers learn about 2023 pay increases. Median real wages will likely fall further behind while aristocratic politicians and corporate executives quietly grant themselves massive pay increases and bonuses.
Covid was tipping point. Politicians are tightening their grip and citizens of the world are reacting.