When tragedy struck China southwest (Sichuan) China on Tuesday, May 12th, an estimated 50,000 people were killed. The disaster ranked an 8.9 on the Richter scale, and the number of casualties is the largest since 1976. However, the governmental relief efforts, and sentiments towards government activity and general, point to tragedy as well. On the literal and political level, China’s landscape is undergoing serious change.

Even before the earthquake struck, the Chinese government had a shaky relationship with its people. China does not permit free speech or free press, thus media sources cannot comment on leadership. When the earthquake hit, reporters went against a federal ban on firsthand coverage to document the events. New York Times theorist Joseph Kahn predicts the government will punish the journalists for their rash actions after the chaos subsides.

The government’s restoration moves have been compatible with the strict freedom laws, pushing for uniform mourning rather than individual relief. Chinese authorities scheduled a national three-day mourning period, and rushed to large cities to save the maximum amount of people. The theme “Go, China!” splashes newspapers as the government attempts unified aid. Unfortunately, the smaller villages, which required emergency assistance, were left overlooked and vulnerable in the wake of this uniform response. Numerous roads and bridges have been cut off, and many villagers died with almost no support.

The Chinese people on the whole are dissatisfied. Some believe the natural disaster suggests that those in power have lost the “mandate of heaven,” thus providing a sign that the current government is losing grip. In fact, the seismometer was invented by the Chinese in 132 CE as a way to detect tremors that could suggest a ruler’s end. When Mao Zedong died shortly after the 1976 earthquake, the mandate of death theory was prevalent. With the lack of government attention and the abundance of government oppression, perhaps the current situation alludes to change as well. Much of the bitterness over the earthquake has been directed at allegedly negligent officials. The government needs to do more to aid its people, or it will lose respect.

- Alexandra Bregman