The title of this post is misleading: The protest is anti government, and pro property rights.
For example: > [...] "People can see how corrupt the government is while they > barely have enough to eat," said Mr. Yu, reflecting on the > uprising that made him an instant proletarian hero If he was a "proletarian" hero, he would say "the capitalists". Instead he said "the government". > [...] > > Last month, as many as 100,000 farmers in Sichuan Province, > frustrated by months of fruitless appeals against a dam > project that claimed their land, took matters into their own > hands. [...] Gee. They took the defense of their own property rights into their own hands. > "I work like this so that my daughter and son can dress > better than I do, so don't look down on me," They are rioting for economic mobility, not for a classless society, but for a society where classes are not hereditary. > "I heard him say those exact words," said Wen Jiabao, > another porter who says he witnessed the confrontation. "It > proves that it's better to be rich than poor, but that being > an official is even better than being rich." The bad guys are not the rich, but those who obtain wealth through poliical power. > Cai Shizhong, a taxi driver, was angered when the > authorities created a company to control taxi licenses, > which he says cost him thousands of dollars but brought no > benefits. The bad deeds of the bad guys are economic regulation > Peng Daosheng's home was flooded by the rising reservoir of > the Three Gorges Dam. He was supposed to receive $4,000 in > compensation as well as a new home. But his new apartment is > smaller and less well located, and the cash never arrived. The bad deeds of the bad guys are violation of property rights without fair compensation. > Li Jian, 22, took part in the plunder. A young peasant, he > had found a city job as a short-order cook. But he longed to > study computers, said his father, Li Wanfa. The family > bought an old computer keyboard so the young man could learn > typing. > > "He wanted to go to high school but the school said his > cultural level was not high enough," Mr. Li said. "They said > a country boy like him should be a cook." Again, the call for social mobility, equality of opportunity, not equality. > They did not attack any of the restaurants or department > stores along the government square, focusing their wrath on > symbols of official power. A riot against the state, not against the rich.