Environmental Protests in China

The environment could be a very important political consideration for China. Yesterday the New York Times reported on riots in the “…Huaxi Village is a few hours' drive south of Hangzhou, the provincial capital of coastal Zhejiang.” Around 40,000 people got together for a little demonstration. China’s economic miracle is having a profound environmental cost. This cost is lowering the quality of life for many Chinese in cities and villages. At a certain point these local disturbances will lead to nationwide protests, and if enough people join in then the government will lose its “Mandate of Heaven.”