Asia

The term “socialist infants” critiques a uniquely Chinese phenomenon: citizens blaming the central government for local failures due to China’s unitary political structure, where local power derives from the center. This reflects a deep-seated “holistic view of the state,” wherein the public holds the central authority ultimately accountable. While this binding reinforces national cohesion, it risks systemic distrust when local scandals erupt. The author urges citizens toward precise accountability and balanced critique, while emphasizing that the state’s credibility hinges on demonstrable error-correction—not infallibility. Commenters debate media distortion, historical precedents, and institutional power dynamics, underscoring the complexity of governance legitimacy in China’s centralized system.