> it's important to point out that in a authoritarian state like China, laws are often deliberately made very strict but only loosely enforced. In time, everyone is likely to have already committed some crime as a matter of necessity and thus nobody is safe from the law; the constant threat of law enforcement make people fear the authorities.
Expanding a little on the point mercer is making, the legal situation in the US (and other "friendly" countries) does not differ from what is described here. What's different is that people mostly don't fear the authorities so much.
But since the legal situation isn't different, it can't explain why the authorities are feared in China. I suggest that the fear is based more around "what is the government likely to do" than "what is the government allowed to do".
>I suggest that the fear is based more around "what is the government likely to do" than "what is the government allowed to do".
Government is not a monolithic being. Each branch have their own intention and goals.
In any case, due process is underdeveloped in China and the police does have a lot of arbitrary powers that will affect people's lifes. For example, the police is allowed to detain anybody at their pleasure for up to 15 days; there is no appeal and the incident stays on your record forever.
Most time they don't have any reason to mess with a random individual, but they won't be sorry about it either when it happens.
Expanding a little on the point mercer is making, the legal situation in the US (and other "friendly" countries) does not differ from what is described here. What's different is that people mostly don't fear the authorities so much.
But since the legal situation isn't different, it can't explain why the authorities are feared in China. I suggest that the fear is based more around "what is the government likely to do" than "what is the government allowed to do".