This Explains A Lot

[MikeH]

Er... Dashi lived in China for ages and is there now isn't he?

[DaShi]

Yes DaShi, I have never witnessed the corrupt police who hang out on their bikes and do a lot of nothing. I have never seen the police check points to check random vehicles for whatever. I have never been to the local Police Department to register with the town and watched the 6 desk officers all playing video games during the work day, or get offered a glass of imported Jack Daniels by the department Captain as a welcome.

You've probably never been questioned by the police about your involvement in a bar fight either.

What Chinese town did you live in? Oh yea, thats right you didn't.

I've lived in Hangzhou for 3.5 years. I've spent the last 2 months baking in the grueling heat of Chongqing with 4 more weeks in China to go. And I just got back from a meeting where I learned about some doctors not following policy for profit.

Corruption is everywhere, it is visible, and the people CAN do something about it. They are not allowed to voice their personal opinion about the communist party, and they all avoid politics and government, but if a local official is affecting a business and that business makes enough money I can guarantee you it gets taken care of. Like last week when a high ranking company employee's secretary was talking with me in our 1 on 1 class about a minor violation that was ticketed to her boss, it was taken care of by slipping money over to the citing department. This was strictly reminding, very subtly, who has the real power in town. It was small, but it was enough that her boss just had her give money to them.

Um. . .you think bribing someone to get out of a ticket is not a sign of corruption but an act against it?