Homework answers / question archive / China's Dormant and Active Social Volcanoes" Martin King WhyteQuestions:The Chinese government claims recent social unrest seen in the nation is directly related to the growing wealth gap in the country while national surveys show anger over incompetent bureaucracies, corruption, abuse of power and no process of redress

China's Dormant and Active Social Volcanoes" Martin King WhyteQuestions:The Chinese government claims recent social unrest seen in the nation is directly related to the growing wealth gap in the country while national surveys show anger over incompetent bureaucracies, corruption, abuse of power and no process of redress

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China's Dormant and Active Social Volcanoes" Martin King WhyteQuestions:The Chinese government claims recent social unrest seen in the nation is directly related to the growing wealth gap in the country while national surveys show anger over incompetent bureaucracies, corruption, abuse of power and no process of redress. Some analysists, even those within the party, fear popular protests will threaten political order and stability. Leaders of the nation have developed an array of measures to reduce populous anger and controlling outbreaks of protests. Whyte argues that although Chinese officials want to focus on the income gap, he sees it as a non-issue or "dormant" threat to the regime. Data collected from his surveys shows Chinese citizens responses were more optimistic or equal to other nations with few indications to support the official wealth inequality scenario. In fact, the surveys showed that there was far more concern for those living in absolute poverty than anger towards the ultrawealthy. Though there is a healthy criticism against the wealthy, like in most nations, most survey takers agreed to have benefited from the current structures of inequality and backed it up with personal experiences rather than repeating Party propaganda. Whyte argues the real social volcano is popular anger sprouted from unequal power dynamics, political injustices, abuse of power and lack of ability to address these issues. While the Chinese government has issued policies like the "harmonious society" to address distributive injustices like implementing universal healthcare, lowered tuition, and economic assistance, they do not address the underlying issues. Investigating abuse of power is not allowed in public surveys and thus is difficult to study in China. Structural changes would have to occur to address the political grievances and that is highly unlikely to happen anytime soon. Doing so would threaten the elite status quo and would undermine the founding ideology of Leninism that is so engrained in the Party and the state. Therefore, with its abundant networks and resources the Chinese government can easily address distributive justices to temper popular anger, while largely ignoring political grievances. The author theorizes then that so long as the Chinese government can balance economic growth and public policies, they will continue to maintain social stability.

1. Do you agree with Martin Whyte and that social unrest in China stems from unequal power dynamics or more so from the ever-growing income inequality?
2. Can China maintain its current trajectory by only addressing distributive justice issues while maintaining uncompromising authority?