In China, Anger Rises as Economy Falls

A global economic downturn prompted consumers in the West to slow spending, disrupting hiring and payroll in China and sparking sporadic protests, reports Barbara Demick for the Los Angles Times. China’s growth and employment rates still surpass those in the US, yet any economic slowdown “could present the leadership with its biggest political challenge since the student protests at Tiananmen Square nearly two decades ago.” Demick writes. “Ordinary growth might not be enough for a system that's been sustained by double-digit gains over the last five years.” Wages in China did not keep pace with growth, and stock and real-estate investments have shriveled. As any economic difficulties spread, the Chinese lack both political and media mechanisms for voicing frustration as well as government programs to assist the most desperate of the unemployed. Analysts anticipate the national government to unite, taking a tough stance against local officials and protesters, even while economic monitoring, regulation and adjustments remain in the control of national leadership. – YaleGlobal