Edward Tsang updated 2010.12.31
Blocking water flows is building up floods. Criticism by the peole could be a healthy sign. Suppressing opinions can only build up grievance. This is common sense really, but, unfortunately, leaders tend to dislike critism.
In geography, little shakeups release accumulated energy, which could help to prevent large scale earthquakes. The most effective way to contain flooding is not to block water, but to direct the water flow. I suspect the same principles apply to governments.
There is always grievance in a society. They may come from property, ill-health, bad luck, mis-information and numerous other sources. Some people will blame the Government, even though the roots of the problem may have nothing to do with the Government. People need outlets to release their grievance. A wise government should probably tolerate, rather than suppress them. An even wiser government would even create outlets to release social pressure. Suppressing grievance would only build up energy in the society. Negative energy tend to breed negative energy. Letting negative energy accumulated could be dangerous.
The Chinese Government doesn't like criticism. Liu Xiaobo (刘晓波 2010 Nobel Peace Prize Winner) advocated peoples' right for freedom of expression. He wasn't really proposing anything against the Government. Yet he was sentenced for eleven years in 2009. Zhao Lianhai (赵连海) was a parent whose son fell ill after using the tainted milk. All he did was to organize parents in similar situation to protest against the milk producer. Yet he was imprisoned for two and a half years.
Liu and Zhao are actually helping the Chinese government by channelling some of the negative feelings out of the system. Those who attack them are probably doing the society more harm than Liu and Zhao. The best way to handle them is for the Government to respond positively to their activities. The last thing that the Chinese Government should do is to suppress them. The Chinese Government should know that a little ignition could lead to an explosion (星星之火可以燎原).
Those who criticize may be the ones who care most.
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