The Chinese 41issues of Party loyalty, and far more with performance that
make China (and thus, yes, the Party) succeed.
Leaders, Entrepreneurs and Stars
At the top tier of Chinese society is a variegated group that,
again, more resembles the multi-layered elite of developed
societies than it does the uniformly careful ‘senior cadres’
who ruled the roost in China past. Today, China has sports,
films and theatre stars whose antics, while still tame
compared with those of their US counterparts, are enough
to fill increasingly popular society tabloids.
There are also rich entrepreneurs who have created
business empires and now enjoy the fruits—and limelight—
success brings. Aside from that, there are top government
officials and leaders of top SOEs, some risen through the
ranks via merit, others via patronage and perhaps corruption
(how many fall into each class is a subject of much debate
in China).
Increasingly, Chinese elites are similar to wealthy jet-setters
of any society. They may maintain apartments in Shanghai
or Beijing, and country homes near a golf course or fishing
region. They may vacation in Hawaii or Paris or the beaches
of Thailand. They may travel frequently on business trips to
New York, Tokyo or Frankfurt. They may have impeccably
old-money sorts of tastes, or they may favour bright colours
and gilding reminiscent of the last emperors, and laugh at
any who call them nouveau-riche.
What these elites have in common is money—in the
form of salaries and bonuses, and/or in the form of perks
and benefits, and expense accounts. And in China, as in any
modern economy, this translates into options in terms of
lifestyle, and potential to control one’s own fate.
Retirees in the Parks
Step out early any morning to any public park virtually
anywhere in China and you will see some of the liveliest use
of communal space. The parks are thronged with people in
the morning—all ages, from children, but especially retirees
—dancing, singing, practising martial arts or tai chi, climbing