No country monitors its citizens as extensively as China. Millions of cameras, countless viewers and sophisticated surveillance software make it possible for the government to know every step of its citizens.
All the more remarkable are the nationwide protests currently afflicting the vast empire. In major cities, people are taking to the streets, demonstrating against the strict corona lockdowns and calling for Xi Jinping (69) to resign – with any protester at risk of years in prison.
The Chinese president can no longer lose face under the “zero covid policy” Xi proclaimed at the start of the pandemic. There is probably no one around him who has a different opinion. Especially since Xi had declared himself absolute ruler. He now has more power than anyone since Mao Zedong (1893-1972).
As an omen, Xi’s predecessor, Jiang Zemin, passed away this week at the age of 96. Jiang stood for a system that also allowed little criticism, but functioned performance-oriented within the Communist Party: those who proved themselves stood up. At the top was the 20-strong Politburo, made up of pale but highly intelligent officials who remained in office for up to ten years – all pursuing the same goal: to make China the leading nation on earth.
Then came Xi Jinping, who elevated the position of president to that of an absolute ruler with unlimited terms and revived the cult of personality that only the founder of the state, Mao, could have previously afforded.
Since then, the focus has been on the cult figure Xi – and only then on China. But no absolute ruler can make better decisions in the long run than a body of the most intelligent minds.
In Russia, where Vladimir Putin (70) gradually became a dictator, this is particularly drastic: bet that Moscow would never have started a war against Ukraine without this unrealistic ex-KGB agent?
How differently our country works, where power has always been widespread! As if to prove that there is no cult of personality or even cult figures, in a few days the most disciplined elections for the Federal Council in a long time will take place: two vacancies, four candidates, all highly qualified, from the resident of Basel to the Bernese agronomist and the professor of the first Jurassic candidate. No tactics, no pressure attempts, no games. Parliament will elect two of the four heads of government on Wednesday. Not spectacular at all.
Especially in serious times like these, it is an advantage if the issue is at stake – and the political leadership is as unspectacular as possible.