Fall of communism in China

How do autocratic countries collapse? History has always shown that the guiding principle of autocracy to subdue alternative philosophies and remove influential thinkers fails in the long run with the various subdued groups taking power often with violent force. China is currently in the same situation. The rabid growth of Islam and the underground churches sprouting like mushrooms have left the Government fighting to put down these groups. cHindu in this series by Ananth Krishnan attempts to do a circus act detailing the problems faced (or created) by the Uighur Muslims while detailing the opposition (help) provided by the Communist Govt.

The Chinese government has, however, blamed exiled separatist groups — as well as some local religious leaders — for fomenting the recent unrest. It has since launched a campaign against “the three evils” — terrorism, separatism and religious extremism. Xinjiang's mosques — and its worshippers — are now on the government's radar.

As usual the Uighurs blame the Government for all their ills, as usual for not giving them money or development priority and preventing them from practicing (spreading or violently converting) their religion.

The riots, Uighurs say, were the result of years of simmering tension between the two groups, exacerbated by what they see as Beijing's flawed developmental policies. The increasing migration of Hans has stirred local resentment; so have recent restrictions on local mosques. Uighur unemployment is on the rise, as is the income disparity between the two groups.

It will be interesting for India to see its neighbor China collapse slowly but surely and plan for the repecussions of what might happen in the future.