China has the bluesAn expression meaning "being gloomy". . A selfie of an unemployed factory worker "lying flat" in bed sums up a national mood.¹

People are "bewildered" and "frustrated", according to journalist Evan Osnos.² China, he writes, is "slipping from motion to stagnationNot moving or growing. ".

In 1978, it was one of the world's poorest countries. As it opened up to global trade, the economy doubled each decade. By 2010, it was the second-largest and had lifted almost 800 million people from poverty.³

After Xi Jinping became president in 2013, he told young people to "dare to dream". But now, he says they must "eat bitterness" as growth stalls and jobs dry up. One expert thinks youth unemployment has hit 46%.⁴

In 2018, Xi changed the constitutionA document that sets out the fundamental rules according to which a country is governed, which are usually difficult to change. to allow him to rule for life. Workers must study his political philosophy, and places for free thinking, like bookshops and bars, have shut. Online discussion is controlled, including a ban on 564 nicknames for Xi.⁵

The crackdown has created a culture of fear. High-profile generals, ministers and businessmen have "disappeared" and been put in jail.

Protest is rare in China. But during Covid-19, people took to the streets, calling for an end to strict lockdown policies.

Experts say this may be a sign of things to come.⁶ For the first time in decades, popular protest targeted the central government.

A top Chinese economist says the current leadership are "fundamentalistsPeople who believe in the strict or literal interpretation of a religious document. ", and people want "constitutionalism and human rights".⁷ Critics blame Xi for China's malaiseA feeling of sadness or uneasiness. , and unrest could challenge the man opponents call "the last emperor".

Others fear the consequences of rebellion. In 2022, a drone issued a dystopianRelating to an imagined society where there is great suffering or injustice.  warning to angry citizens: "Control your soul's desire for freedom. Do not open the window to sing." It is an open question whether young people will listen.

Yes: Never in history have so many people been controlled by one man. They have given up many freedoms for the promise of a richer society. Fed up and disappointed, they will want their freedom back.

No: President Xi has removed all opposition to his power. People are angry but also fearful - they live in a society where anyone could disappear without warning, and where public protest is impossible.

Or... Not yet. Regimes like this do not last forever, especially when they fail to provide basic needs to their citizens. But it may take many more years before the right circumstances for change emerge.