Mass murders highlight major social problems in China
Significance
Police said the 21-year-old perpetrator had failed his exams and was unhappy with his internship pay. There has been a notable uptick in ‘social revenge’ attacks this year, in which individuals indiscriminately target strangers in public places in lone wolf attacks seen as expressing anger against society as a whole.
Impacts
- High-profile crimes damage public support for the Communist Party, which frequently celebrates China’s low crime rate.
- A sense of insecurity will strengthen public support for increased surveillance by the authorities.
- A growing need to combat crime is one factor that will make China ramp up security and surveillance measures as its economy slows.
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