BEIJING — Whatever the effects of political turmoil in Thailand, they have not helped the cause of democracy in China. The images of prodemocracy protesters and the subsequent military crackdown in downtown Bangkok have been openly shown in Chinese media without any apparent bias. Indeed, there is no need to embellish the political message for China.
If a relatively well-off and religious country known as the "land of smiles" can so rapidly degenerate into bloody class warfare, what would happen if the Chinese Communist Party lost its monopoly on power?
It is not hard to imagine a Chinese-style red-shirt rebellion, with populist leaders tapping resentment and hotheaded youth torching symbols of privilege in Beijing. If multiparty democracy leads to violent and uncompromising electoral blocs, then most reflective people will prefer one-party rule that ensures social stability.