Crackdown on independent candidates in China

There has been a recent string of crackdowns on independent party candidates participating in neighbourhood People’s Congresses in China. Although largely powerless, the increase in interest in these congresses and the alarm shown by the Chinese government may indicate a greater desire for democratic participation. With the increase in access to higher education has come a desire for greater political participation. Previously in the Americas, areas with more income equality allowed for greater access to education and more general suffrage rights. In China, it seems that education may be leading to growing interest in the political process and democratization in general, suggesting that any field equalizer, such as income equality or access to education, will lead to the desire for mass participation in government. However, these congresses have little power, and interest in them may not lead to anything more significant. In the event that they do though, they are worth watching.