China ... impressive and daunting

John Merli
Published: August 13, 2008

I suppose when they say it’s not advisable to watch either sausage or laws being made because neither is very pretty, the same can be said for what goes on behind the scenes of the Olympics. Since
the nation in the spotlight right now is the most populated on the planet, as well as a rising economic power that embraces both capitalism and communism, what really went into organizing this month’s
big show says a lot about China, for better or for worse.

For seven years, since China and the rest of the world knew the 2008 summer games would be held in Beijing, this totalitarian state of more than 1.3 billion people has, by hook or by crook, propelled
much of Beijing into the 21st century (having somehow alluded the last half of the 20th entirely).

Some of the back stories about those countless numbers of Chinese helping to do all that century-propelling are hardly secret. More than 7,000 migrant workers reportedly worked nearly round-the-clock
for years to build the 91,000-seat Bird’s Nest stadium, along with the nearby Water Cube and all those other massive venues. And then the workers were cut loose to fend for themselves. Even before
hundreds of acres could be cleared for such purposes, thousands of poor Chinese living mostly in shacks and other surroundings (squalid by Western standards) were forced to move on. Some were
given “compensation” by the authorities to live elsewhere. Some apparently were not.

The notion that sacrifices must be made by the few for the benefit of the many is more or less how any totalitarian government explains away some of the not-so-pleasant episodes leading to “progress,”
including the games. Through other sacrifices, entire factories had to relocate outside of Beijing and most private vehicles are temporarily banned from the roads in hopes of keeping both visibility and air
quality at levels somewhat better than awful.

Despite the modern skyscrapers, a few four-star hotels, BMW showrooms and Kentucky Fried Chicken shops, such absolute restrictions on the masses — not to mention the cooperation of more than a
million Chinese “volunteers” at the games themselves — are made infinitely more possible and effective under a strict communist regime. So we can be impressed, I suppose, but let’s remember who’s
paying the price.

Perhaps from an aesthetic point of view we can still appreciate what China has accomplished in order to razzle-dazzle the rest of the world for these incredibly brief 17 days. Its opening ceremonies were
truly remarkable, maybe as much for the fact that so many thousands participated in perfect unison, as for the artistry of the event (which was also impressive). Such massive orchestrations in unison, I
imagine, come a bit easier in a land where “free and open society” is maybe still a Pollyanna term from the West. This is a massive society where even its Google searches are restricted only to what the
government will allow.

China’s zeal to begin to reshape a new and perfect image of itself did begin to show some human flaws as this week progressed, such as when a seemingly perfect fireworks display turned out to be
enhanced by computer animation, unbeknownst to hundreds of millions of viewers. And, in an ugly turn, that pretty young Chinese girl in the bright red dress was found out to be lip-syncing the voice of
another young girl in the opening ceremonies — the latter little girl with the better voice found to not be pretty enough, by the authorities, to represent China on global television.

Whether intentional or not, there also seemed to be a daunting subliminal message in all that massive pomp and ceremony this week: We can do business together, but you don’t want us an enemy. It
may not be in the Olympic spirit to say it, but I’d much happier seeing those teeming throngs of Chinese youngsters putting on a good show, rather than a show of force. They’re talented and organized,
to be sure. And maybe just a little bit scary.

Contact John Merli at .