Comments for Jottings from the Granite Studio http://granitestudio.org A Qing historian reads the newspaper... Wed, 17 Mar 2010 11:35:26 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 Comment on The Hunan lead poisoning case: Is it “China’s” fault? by Sam http://granitestudio.org/2010/03/17/headlines-and-reponsibility/comment-page-1/#comment-12563 Sam Wed, 17 Mar 2010 11:35:26 +0000 http://granitestudio.org/?p=1710#comment-12563 As a unitary state, the PRC central government is implicated in the actions of local officials. Those local officials are the bottom level of a monocratic (to get all Weberian on you...) chain of command that goes right up the the Prime Minister. It may be horribly inefficient in practice, but in principle it is unitary. Until we hear otherwise the top leaders are responsible for what happens at the local level, unless, of course, they are considering a shift to federalism.... As a unitary state, the PRC central government is implicated in the actions of local officials. Those local officials are the bottom level of a monocratic (to get all Weberian on you…) chain of command that goes right up the the Prime Minister. It may be horribly inefficient in practice, but in principle it is unitary. Until we hear otherwise the top leaders are responsible for what happens at the local level, unless, of course, they are considering a shift to federalism….

]]> Comment on The Hunan lead poisoning case: Is it “China’s” fault? by stuart http://granitestudio.org/2010/03/17/headlines-and-reponsibility/comment-page-1/#comment-12562 stuart Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:58:22 +0000 http://granitestudio.org/?p=1710#comment-12562 "But suggesting that the country — or the national government — stands firmly behind these goons is getting ahead of the story." Agreed, but the behaviour of local officials is also a microcosm of the government's reactions to anything that questions - however justifiably - their own authority or gains from immoral practices. The "scum" that "deserve to be exposed for the cowards and bullies that they are" are not a cultural peculiarity only observed at a provincial level. “But suggesting that the country — or the national government — stands firmly behind these goons is getting ahead of the story.”

Agreed, but the behaviour of local officials is also a microcosm of the government’s reactions to anything that questions – however justifiably – their own authority or gains from immoral practices. The “scum” that “deserve to be exposed for the cowards and bullies that they are” are not a cultural peculiarity only observed at a provincial level.

]]> Comment on 10 Random thoughts from a Starbucks in Nanjing by FOARP http://granitestudio.org/2010/02/28/10-random-thoughts-from-a-starbucks-in-nanjing/comment-page-1/#comment-12556 FOARP Thu, 11 Mar 2010 13:31:34 +0000 http://granitestudio.org/?p=1678#comment-12556 Lived in Nanjing for 2 1/2 years back before 1912 was built, before even the first subway line opened - which of course was only five years ago. I loved the city and miss my time there. Lived in Nanjing for 2 1/2 years back before 1912 was built, before even the first subway line opened – which of course was only five years ago. I loved the city and miss my time there.

]]> Comment on From the archives: Learn from Lei Feng Day! by Lei Feng inte bortglömd i Korla « nullitet http://granitestudio.org/2010/03/05/from-the-archives-learn-from-lei-feng-day/comment-page-1/#comment-12555 Lei Feng inte bortglömd i Korla « nullitet Fri, 05 Mar 2010 11:04:07 +0000 http://granitestudio.org/?p=1683#comment-12555 [...] xinjiang | by nullitet Idag är det tydligen Lär av Lei Feng-dagen. Jeremiah Jenne på bloggen Jottings from the Granite Studio skriver på sitt luttrade, nördigt lustiga sätt om soldaten som kom att symbolisera det [...] [...] xinjiang | by nullitet Idag är det tydligen Lär av Lei Feng-dagen. Jeremiah Jenne på bloggen Jottings from the Granite Studio skriver på sitt luttrade, nördigt lustiga sätt om soldaten som kom att symbolisera det [...]

]]> Comment on Guiding public opinion… by Extra! Extra! No more ganbei, much more censorship, and other news | Expat Guide http://granitestudio.org/2009/12/18/guiding-public-opinion/comment-page-1/#comment-12554 Extra! Extra! No more ganbei, much more censorship, and other news | Expat Guide Tue, 22 Dec 2009 08:01:16 +0000 http://granitestudio.org/?p=1585#comment-12554 [...] Jeremiah Jenne read through those notes and was incensed by the ridiculousness of them all, commenting that “nothing makes the CCP look more like a bunch of insecure moonbats than their fixation on “guiding public opinion”…” [The Granite Studio] [...] [...] Jeremiah Jenne read through those notes and was incensed by the ridiculousness of them all, commenting that “nothing makes the CCP look more like a bunch of insecure moonbats than their fixation on “guiding public opinion”…” [The Granite Studio] [...]

]]> Comment on The 10-year anniversary of Macau’s handover and the politics of history by Global Voices Online » Macau and China: The 10-year anniversary of Macau’s handover http://granitestudio.org/2009/12/19/the-10-year-anniversary-of-macaus-handover-and-the-politics-of-history/comment-page-1/#comment-12553 Global Voices Online » Macau and China: The 10-year anniversary of Macau’s handover Mon, 21 Dec 2009 13:23:54 +0000 http://granitestudio.org/?p=1600#comment-12553 [...] from the Granite Studio reviewed the colonial history of Macau and the politics of historical narration by the Chinese Communist [...] [...] from the Granite Studio reviewed the colonial history of Macau and the politics of historical narration by the Chinese Communist [...]

]]> Comment on Yep, America’s got ‘em too…Memories of Pearl Harbor and homegrown historical absolutism by Letters to the Granite Studio: Splittists, Sovereignty, and Disputed Islands…Forget the Taiwan Straits, let’s talk the Piscataqua River! | Jottings from the Granite Studio http://granitestudio.org/2009/12/08/yep-americas-got-em-too/comment-page-1/#comment-12551 Letters to the Granite Studio: Splittists, Sovereignty, and Disputed Islands…Forget the Taiwan Straits, let’s talk the Piscataqua River! | Jottings from the Granite Studio Thu, 10 Dec 2009 00:55:36 +0000 http://granitestudio.org/?p=1551#comment-12551 [...] _uacct = "UA-4717544-1"; urchinTracker(); ← Yep, America’s got ‘em too…Memories of Pearl Harbor and homegrown historical absol... [...] [...] _uacct = "UA-4717544-1"; urchinTracker(); ← Yep, America’s got ‘em too…Memories of Pearl Harbor and homegrown historical absol… [...]

]]> Comment on Peking University shudaizi versus Japanese reporter smackdown, and critical thinking in history is the loser by Yep, America’s got ‘em too…Memories of Pearl Harbor and homegrown historical absolutism | Jottings from the Granite Studio http://granitestudio.org/2009/12/04/peking-university-shudaizi-versus-japanese-reporter-and-critical-thinking-in-history-is-the-loser/comment-page-1/#comment-12550 Yep, America’s got ‘em too…Memories of Pearl Harbor and homegrown historical absolutism | Jottings from the Granite Studio Tue, 08 Dec 2009 04:16:46 +0000 http://granitestudio.org/?p=1528#comment-12550 [...] tough to speak of history in absolute terms, but it’s comforting to know that for all I howl about Chinese absolutists, there are more than a few hanging around the country of my [...] [...] tough to speak of history in absolute terms, but it’s comforting to know that for all I howl about Chinese absolutists, there are more than a few hanging around the country of my [...]

]]> Comment on Peking University shudaizi versus Japanese reporter smackdown, and critical thinking in history is the loser by ChinaGeeks » Hooray For Arrogance! http://granitestudio.org/2009/12/04/peking-university-shudaizi-versus-japanese-reporter-and-critical-thinking-in-history-is-the-loser/comment-page-1/#comment-12549 ChinaGeeks » Hooray For Arrogance! Fri, 04 Dec 2009 23:50:33 +0000 http://granitestudio.org/?p=1528#comment-12549 [...] question. His presentation of history is a bit terrifying, but Jeremiah over at Granite Studio has already written a great response to that, which I recommend everyone [...] [...] question. His presentation of history is a bit terrifying, but Jeremiah over at Granite Studio has already written a great response to that, which I recommend everyone [...]

]]> Comment on Obama in China: Tuesday morning edition by Takin’ a Break http://granitestudio.org/2009/11/17/obama-in-china-tuesday-morning-edition/comment-page-1/#comment-12548 Takin’ a Break Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:18:27 +0000 http://granitestudio.org/?p=1453#comment-12548 [...] highly hyped English corner than a town hall meeting. Adam Minter at Shanghai Scrap and Jeremiah at Jottings from the Granite Studio pretty much covered how I felt about the [...] [...] highly hyped English corner than a town hall meeting. Adam Minter at Shanghai Scrap and Jeremiah at Jottings from the Granite Studio pretty much covered how I felt about the [...]

]]>