Teaching Comparative Government and Politics

Friday, June 08, 2007

Federalism, centralization, and political culture

The important idea for comparative politics students in this BBC report from China might not be about student resistance to the police, it might be about the central government's efforts to create a rule of law. Then again, civil society and political culture are created and maintained, to some degree, by the behavior of citizens.

Students go on rampage in China

"Hundreds of students have rioted against the police in central China.

"Witnesses said the unrest, in the city of Zhengzhou in Henan province, was sparked on Wednesday after a student was beaten by police...


A cell phone photo showed students surrounding a police car and its occupants, while one of the officers called for back up.



Another photo showed the car of a city official who was apparently trying to keep the peace.



"Six police officers have now been arrested for their part in the disturbances and their superiors have also been reprimanded.

"This kind of large protest makes the Chinese Communist Party very uneasy. It is deeply wary of social unrest.

"But the central government also wants to show that it is prepared to take action against heavy-handed local authorities."


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