State-controlled media portray China's leaders as living by the austere Communist values they publicly espouse. But as scions of the political aristocracy carve out lucrative roles in business and embrace the trappings of wealth, their increasingly high profile is raising uncomfortable questions for a party that justifies its monopoly on power by pointing to its origins as a movement of workers and peasants.
Oh, cut the young aristocrats some slack, you smelly 99 percenter. These are the children of reasonably enlightened autocrats, don't you know? Surely this is all part of the plan to reach a new, green, infrastructure-rich economy that will give Western pundits thrills up their legs as they gaze in adoring love at what has been created.
When the revolution comes, these scions will be the first up against the wall, that's for sure. I'm equally sure that their ruling elite parents who got where they are the hard way (killing and jailing whoever stood in their way) aren't going on any long marches to defend their position.
Interesting enough, the Chinese are trying to eliminate college degrees that are worthless to the holders (also a tip to Instapundit):
China’s Ministry of Education announced this week plans to phase out majors producing unemployable graduates, according to state-run media Xinhua. The government will soon start evaluating college majors by their employment rates, downsizing or cutting those studies in which less than 60% of graduates fail for two consecutive years to find work.
Smart move. Ours camp out in our parks, claiming to occupy them in the name of the rest of us. For them it is just Revolution Theater. China's unemployed grads, in contrast, might actually lead a revolution of those people already rioting in increasing numbers against elite corruption and privilege.
