- cross-posted to:
- worldnews
- world@quokk.au
- cross-posted to:
- worldnews
- world@quokk.au
Summary
China has intensified its crackdown on erotic fiction writers, particularly those creating danmei (gay romance/erotica), with over 50 arrests in Anhui province since June 2024.
At least 10 individuals have been sentenced, with penalties reaching up to 4.5 years in prison. Many writers published on Taiwan-based Haitang Literature, which has faced disruption.
Under China’s strict laws, earning over 250,000 yuan (~$34,500) from such works can result in a life sentence, though reduced sentences are possible if profits are repaid.
Critics argue the campaign undermines freedom of expression and inflates sales figures to justify harsh punishments.
When liberalism fails, people look for alternatives. Historically speaking, the lower classes move towards socialism, and the owning classes adopt fascism to protect their privileged position from socialists. Apart from some important exceptions, libertarian forms of socialism generally haven’t been able to prevail, while one-party states have built third-world countries into superpowers more than once, which makes for an appealing role-model, especially in countries where the system beforehand was a monarchist dictatorship or US puppet pretending to be a democracy.
It doesn’t help that the US and West kept destroying socialist countries. Imperialism means every socialist covert is in siege mentality until the last capitalist, imperialist superpower is gone.