Fervent Chinese nationalism or just reflex?

Why are the Chinese, at least the Han Chinese that is, so fervently patriotic and hypersensitive when it comes to any criticism of Chinese, or rather their regime’s, the CCP’s, actions and (mis) deeds?


The power of constant inculcation on their subjects’ minds is such a powerful tool, totalitarian regimes like to exploit to the full.
In the case of China, the indoctrination has been polished and raised to new and unprecedented levels, and turned into an art form. It starts at an early age, and never ceases for Chinese citizen’s entire lives.

The CCP’s influence is all pervasive and ubiquitous indeed. Their tentacles extend into every aspect of Chinese citizen’s lives, and the party is almost omniscient in its awareness what the rank and file, every citizen is thinking and doing.

The Chinese Communist Party is organized in three tiers according to age.

The first encounter young, receptive minds have with Communist doctrine is in the ‘Young Pioneers’.
These are captured from the age 6 through to 14, and boasts a membership of about 125m.
It is structured along the lines of grassroots cells, and so has all the appearance of an organisation with democratic principles.

Except in the case of the CCP in whatever guise; Young Pioneers, Youth League or CCP, the command flow is strictly from the top down, and there is no probability that any ‘ideas’ will ever percolate their way up the chain for eventual consideration and inclusion into policy.

The Young Pioneers are organized into Small, Medium and Large Detachments, complete with Leaders, Deputies, and Committees in a hierarchical structure. These groups in turn are controlled by appointed adults drawn from the Communist Youth League.
Which budding future leader and up and coming highflier wouldn’t want to be part of such an important organisation, and assume an esteemed leadership role at the tender age of 6?

Being part of the YP is not just an exciting experience for the young child; to wear the red scarf, or being one of the crowd, or just the allure of holding an ‘important’ superior position; it is essential for survival and acceptance in a society where there is no tolerance of individuality or deviation from the ‘norm’.

During the Cultural Revolution this organisation was reorganized as the Little Red Guards and was an active protagonist in the mayhem and atrocities committed.
These little darlings were busy denouncing their own parents, family members and teachers, or anyone fitting the profile of the counterrevolutionary, and so reaped reward for their bravery and unflinching struggle for the cause of the party; bestowed by the party.

The motto of the YP is:
“Be ready to struggle for the Communist cause.”

With the refrain:
“Always be ready.”

At the age of fourteen members automatically graduate into the Communist Youth League of China, CYLC which boasts a membership of over seventy million.

The system rewards ‘loyalty’ and conformism and is geared to be completely exclusive, either you’re for the party or you’re a traitor and a bourgeoisie reactionary.

You’re not likely to get into any high ranking position in commerce, unless you’ve proven yourself to be a completely loyal and committed party member throughout your life. And of course political appointments are a direct result of having an impeccable record of membership from the Young Pioneers through to CYLC to the CCP, and unquestioning loyalty and compliance along party lines.

Independent thought is snuffed out before it has a chance to emerge. It would be foolhardy to voice any dissent in such a stifling atmosphere of absolute, uncompromising allegiance.

Conformism is all that counts, and the repetition of the Party’s doctrine and pronouncements is the only viable option available; and what ultimately is tolerated.
Anyone wanting to be accepted, and rewarded with privileges and promotion has no other choice; be a party hack or be ostracised and face a life strewn with hidden obstacles and glass ceilings.

The CCP of course maintains complete control over what the Chinese citizen is allowed to know, and what their version of the truth is.
The riots in Tibet provide a graphic example of this:

“BEIJING, March 17 (Xinhua) -- The head of Tibet's regional government has denied that security personnel carried or used lethal weapons in dealing with the violent riots in Lhasa last Friday. “
"The security personnel showed restraint in the entire process of handling the incident," said Qiangba Puncog, chairman of the Autonomous Regional Government in Tibet, at a news briefing in Beijing on Monday.”

This in spite the world media being awash with reports from first hand eyewitness accounts in Tibet relating the hearing of gunshots, seeing monks and civilians gunned down and accounts of possibly hundreds killed by gunfire, and the (unexpected) emergence of pictures depicting dead Tibetans with gunshot wounds.

In the aftermath of the ‘riots’ every Tibetan house throughout Tibet was ransacked and searched, ostensibly to look for pictures of the Dalai Lama, the true target were pictures of the riots, as the CCP was desperate to avoid the emergence of photographic evidence which would provide graphic prove of the massacre perpetrated by the Han Chinese security forces.
Verbal accounts are much easier to dispel than photographic evidence.

But of course, these inversions of the facts by the CCP’s own media are mainly aimed at domestic consumption, so what the rest of the world thinks does not concern the Chinese media controllers.
And as there is no alternative news source allowed, the Chinese citizenry has no means of verifying the accuracy of Xinhua press releases.
Or more to the point, why would one even dare to doubt the veracity of the ‘motherly’ party’s version of events?

To this day there has only ever been
this version of events, which has been thoroughly discredited by the world’s independent press. But admissions or retractions are not part of CCP vocabulary.

The CCP’s sole raison d'être is selfpreservation, the grip onto exclusive, unfettered power.

The party rules by fear, the fear of being on the wrong side of the ‘law’, or more aptly, the fear of incurring the wrath of the party for whatever reason.
Freedom of expression is guaranteed by the constitution, so why is there no free press?

By the same token, constitutionally the party’s rule is completely sacrosanct and unchallengeable, and with it socialist thought, or more precisely whatever the party decrees and adopts as their dogma.

This ‘no go territory’ is so nebulous, far reaching and all encompassing that chances are that if you utter anything not already official party line, you might be inside this formless description of what is not allowed.

This enforces some very onerous self censorship; for being accused of being an enemy of the state could prove hazardous to one’s life indeed.

The Chinese ‘independent’ press just runs Xinhua press releases, this way they’re always sure of being inline with party doctrine and aren’t transgressing the foggy line into territory of offending the party.

This way the party has sole access to its citizen’s minds, and the constant fear factor imposes an all pervasive, self limiting censorship.

This lifelong, exclusive exposure to CCP propaganda cements in all the beliefs, doctrines, and the version of events the regime wants its population to behold.

All these instilled dogmas, doctrines and ‘facts’ become the only points of reference, and hence whatever is being assessed or reasoned over is judged against this all pervasive, exclusive ‘knowledge’ base.
It leaves no room for any lateral, independent or analytical thought.

Perhaps next time, on encountering a victim of such ‘programming’, it might be wise contemplating the futility of expending any energy attempting to have a reasoned debate which draws on logic, facts or proof.

To answer the title’s question; of course it is both, unfettered nationalistic patriotism, and a programmed reflex reaction arising from being denied the right of ever having to make choices, deliberating over the veracity and merits of pronouncements and never having the luxury of being allowed a healthy dose of scepticism.

We take it for granted to question, to probe, to seek alternative views and to debate, even just internally, issues at hand and so draw a reasoned conclusion on the merits and reliability of a story.
Sometimes we might be wrong, but at least we are open to accept alternative view points and opinions.
And for next time we will have learnt an incremental lesson and incorporated this into our understanding of the world, and so progressed a little along a path of eternal growth and learning.

No such cultivation of original, lateral and analytical thought for Chinese citizens.

Wouldn’t the hysterical nationalistic fervour, the frenzied demonstrations, the irrational calls for boycotts, witch hunts, vendettas and vitriolic persecution of perceived ‘Chinese traitors’, which has been sweeping (Han Chinese) China, graphically illustrate this?

Letter to Hu Jintao, 给胡锦涛的信件

Mr. President

Let me take you on an imaginary journey, if you dare.

Instead of being a member of the ruling, and by numbers, the overwhelmingly largest and domineering creed, picture yourself now as a member of a society, race and country that is uniquely distinct and different from all the surrounding peoples and countries, and which is just a small minority, overwhelmed by your own creed.

You only number a few million, but your people are very proud of your own identity, heritage, culture and country, and have conducted all your own affairs for millennia, have fought wars, defeated enemies, conquered territories and occupied lands during your long history.

From time to time your country entered into bilateral agreements with neighbouring states which were mutually beneficial to the signatories.
Your country, at all times always knew that you were an independent nation and that these arrangements never inferred any impingement on your own sovereignty.
Your country ran all the civil services, as any country does, issued your own currency, post stamps and passports, which were accepted by other countries.
There were no foreign diplomats, no government officials, no representatives, no residents of any sort at all present in your country from your, by numbers, domineering neighbouring state.

Your country knew it was a sovereign nation and conducted itself accordingly on the international stage.
You were so fiercely independent that you refused permission for Allied forces to cross your sovereign country, as you wanted to maintain being a neutral, non-aligned state.
Yet, even so, your country was arbitrarily and illegally invaded by this overwhelming neighbour, without provocation, justification or rationale.
They held a gun to your head and forced you, by threat of complete invasion, to sign an agreement, which they themselves never honoured, not one clause of it.
They’ve destroyed your culture, heritage, massacred your people, and are oppressing you, even today, for almost 60 years now, in medieval fashion more akin to ancient barbarism than to 21st century enlightened behaviour.

They’ve reinvented history, falsified and fabricated documents and harked back to ancient times and reinterpreted arrangements between your country and a historical, neighbouring state this creed themselves was only a part of, at the time.
Though this past state now no longer exists, as this hegemonistic Empire collapsed over ninety years ago, and with it any contractual arrangements, obligations and treaties it may have had, they still claim, by virtue of their fabrications and lies, that they 'own' your country.

You contend that there is something deeply and profoundly perverse and depraved about this other ethnic group, claiming to “own” your land, your soil, your country, and with it your people.
Even if this claim were not based on lies and deceit, which you know it is of course, it would strike you as the most grotesque perversion and violation of all international laws and conventions, and an abject abrogation of any human notion of fairness and moral and ethical conduct.

And that is exactly what all eminent scholars and legal experts have found; your nation was illegally invaded, it was a sovereign, independent country, and to this day has the all rights to full, unfettered sovereignty, enshrined in international law.

Your leaders have attempted, through dialogue and peaceful negotiations, to bring about an improvement to the suffering of your oppressed people.
But your oppressors have never shown even the slightest hint of sincerity and honest intent, and only engage in puerile, disingenuous berating of your leader and questioned his sincerity and legitimacy of representing your people.

But you know that the questionable legitimacy lies in fact with your oppressors, as they rose, and only hold on to power at the barrel of the gun, and never have been democratically elected.
And this ethnic creed holds not just your country, Tibet, under occupation but also the Uighurs, the Mongolians, the Manchus and many other minorities’ lands.
This ruling creed has invented the myth of the ‘Nation family of 56 ethnic groups’ to justify their occupation, annexation and settlement of your, and these other minorities’ lands.
But you know, and experience, that it is only this creed, the Han which holds the power, only the Han have all the rights, only the Han make all the decisions, only the Han language, customs, culture, values have any acceptance and are tolerated under their repressive rule.

In fact, all experts and Human Rights organisations have found that this creed is perpetrating the most onerous racist policies in Tibet, far outstripping the old Apartheid Regime in malice and inequity.

The world is in disbelief and utterly aghast over these deplorable contraventions of all accepted standards, international laws and conventions.

But your country has committed itself to a peaceful resolution to this longstanding, illegal occupation and refrained from violent actions or even guerrilla warfare to free itself from this horrific yoke.
All appeals to fairness, justice and adherence to international laws has fallen on deaf ears, and your country is at the end of its tether, for it is at the complete mercy of a recalcitrant regime of the most dissolute and repugnant mindset.

Mr President, by now, if there is a soul, and a human heart beating inside you, your blood just be boiling at the iniquities and injustices perpetrated against your people and nation, and you must be questioning what your country has to do to end this illegal, malevolent occupation and oppression of your people.

Would you call to arms, would you use any tactic from civil disobedience, to guerrilla warfare, to assassinations of the perpetrators, from the President of your occupying regime on down; for he particularly is well remembered by your people as the 'Butcher of Lhasa' for the mass murder of hundreds of innocent, peacefully protesting monks?
And you know in your heart that this is what freedom struggles throughout history have always been; an oppressed peoples’ only recourse, and by all accounts, Legitimate means of fighting for their Just Cause.

But your country has vowed to pursue non-violent means, and is waiting patiently for some semblance of rational and ethical behaviour on the part of your tormentors.
Or perhaps a leadership change which would finally see people in charge with a moral and ethical conscience, and sense of integrity and justice more commensurate with 21st century enlightened principles than ancient barbarism.

You wait and hope, and the whole world is crying out and grieving with you and is imploring your oppressors for acceptance and implementations of international laws, conventions and treaties, to which they are subject to, and bound to comply with.

But you and your people might be running out of patience, for you’ve taken the civilized, and compassionate path and displayed the most admirable, inconceivable forbearance, but only run up against a cold, heartless, brutally dissolute adversary for far too long with your despotic oppressors.......

I leave you now to ponder your accountabilities and the scrutiny of your conscience!

onejustworld

Freedom, Justice, Equity for All - from Tibet to Myanmar, to Darfur to North Korea to Zimbabwe …..

Of Patriotism and Motherlands - the Tibet issue.

some text The Chinese machinations behind the Riots in Tibet, and the incitation of fervent Patriotism.

The incessant invocation by the CCP of “Motherland”, the “Splitting of the Chinese Motherland”, “Splittist” “Dalai Lama Clique”, “Separatists” etc is a very dangerous game indeed, and has been played to disastrous results during the thirties in Germany by the Nazis, as we all know.
The incantation was the same then; just the semantics had a masculine slant.

It is clearly designed to rally the masses behind the Powers that Be, i.e. the CCP, for they’re in deep trouble with an unruly, discontented and disillusioned population.
60,000 “mass incidents”, speak protests, per annum must be a troublesome development for a ruling junta that has not tolerated any dissent, protest or free expression for over 50 years.
But drag out the tried and proven scheme of inciting patriotism, and labelling anyone who’s not screaming along at full cry, or isn’t absolutely one hundred percent engrossed in the madness and hysteria, a traitor, and you’ve diverted the anger from yourself to some hapless, unsuspecting target.
The Jews learnt this to their horror during the Nazi era, and the ensuing mass slaughter has only been made possible by this ‘paving the way’ of patriotic fervour and hysteria.

The frantic hysteria sweeping across China, and the globe in the expat Chinese community, aided and abetted by their ‘minders’ from the Chinese Embassies is testimony to the dangerous excesses possible when playing with this fire.
The parents of one unsuspecting student wanting to bridge the chasm between the rabid Chinese mobs and Tibetans had to go into hiding after receiving death threats and their personal ID details were made public, details only the Authorities in China could have disclosed!

In 2008 the Tibetans find themselves the target of just this same devious scheming, with the CCP’s labelling of the “Dalai Lama Clique” as the perpetrator and instigator of the March 14th riots.
Chinese Media and CCTV showed scenes of burning Lhasa ad nauseam, underscored with the most vitriolic commentary, and accusing the Tibetans of the most heinous crimes.
It was a carefully orchestrated plot by the CCP to divert the ire of their disgruntled masses away from themselves to the Tibetan People.
The venom and vitriolic diatribes emanating from the highest ranking cadres on down, including Hu Jintao and Wen Jiabao, are clear testimony to this sly plot.

The notions of Patriotism and Motherland should be seen in the light of all the misery and atrocities committed in their name, and are by any measure an outdated and derisory concept.
Today’s world has its fair share of hatred and conflict based on racism, xenophobia and them against us, so a feeling of belonging to a particular group of ethnicity or nationality only incites the sentiments of them and us and exclusivity instead of inclusiveness.

Humanity should move on from such whimsy comfort notions if we are ever to overcome the scourge of mankind; hatred, war, conflict, oppression of the ‘other’, exploitation of the weaker and ignorance.
For ignorance arises from just such dangerous concepts and becomes a meme, and once hostage to such, the ability to discern, seek the truth and follow one’s true conscience and speak for a better world becomes impossible for fear of loosing that soother.