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Q: What are the chances for another Mao-Style revolutionary to rise up?
Considering that the wealth gap in China is soooo high, and the the richest people are in the CCP, I feel that the climate is right for another revolution. Here's how I think it would go.
Sometime in the not-so-far-future, it will become financially infeasible to continue building ghost towns and unused office buildings/ malls. At this point construction workers, a major portion of the less-educated populace, will be unemployed and tensions will rise. A crafty revolutionary will find a way to disable/circumvent the Great Firewall and drop a propaganda bomb all over the internet. After cleverly uniting a mass of disgruntled workers, as well as the affluent who are tired of having to hide their money overseas, he/she would have the resources to cause trouble.
Thoughts? Plausibility? Will this post get deleted?
Some Ching dynasty chinese chap ("Tsang Kwok Fan" 1811-1872 something like that), a well-known historical figure in chinese history who was both a General and a Scholar answered your question in this way.
When you see these three things happening in China, you know the dynasty's belly-up time is just around the corner.
1. When wrong becomes right, vice versa.
2. The humble and meek leave the stage and go into silence.
3. Arrogant scumbags flare their claws and roar out loud.
That dude did witness the Ching dynasty going belly-up. 
WooMow:
1. I think backing up your car to kill the pedestrian you just hit to avoid paying his medical bills counts.
2. Hard to say, the meek have been silenced by design.
3. Giant military parade to celebrate the end of a 70 year old war, to show they're ready for the next one.
Perhaps it's closer than I thought.
earthizen:
Yes, I agree. Wait till more foreign capitals flee China. The mass exodus was on last week's news. It looks like a good start. 
It is possible and I often joke that China might one day have a real communist revolution. I don't think they could use the internet against the CCP though. If things got too bad they would shut down the internet. Saying that though, imagine if a company (google for example) was broadcasting free internet all over the world. The CCP couldn't really block them so people would have uncensored access to the internet, then it would be an unstable time for the CCP. You know I did read somewhere that a company was going to broadcast the internet from a satellite. In reality, the day the CCP loses the army is the day they start to lose power.
WooMow:
Interesting, would world-wide unrestricted internet access be seen as an Act of War by the CCP?
Also, I'm very familiar with American military types, they are usually the kind of people that attach their interest in taking live to patriotism. They would be the last ones to turn. However, after they realize how awful war is, they gain a completely new perspective. It's possible a shift would come in the midst of a civil war.
Scandinavian:
why on earth would anyone in China want a communist revolution, why not a democratic revolution based on healthy socialists principles.
Lord_hanson:
@Scand, Have you seen how people act here when they are offered something for free? Imagine if the poor are promised a cut of the redistribution of wealth? Of course in reality the same thing will happen as last time, the ruling elite will be changed and that's it.
In the short term it is highly unlikely - Chinese society is addicted to materialism and the dream of getting rich. True, there is a large wealth gap but the fact is that the overall living standards have improved dramatically in recent years and millions of people are in fact getting rich. The masses who aren't rich or middle class can still dream of having an Iphone or a car and more and more of them are gaining access to luxury consumer goods.
Now in the event of a true economic collapse I could see instability arise. A whole generation raised on the promise of material wealth and little else to value in life would become restless and perhaps take out their anger on the powers that be. If China's economy truly collapses, I don't want to be around to see the aftermath.
WooMow:
Ya that's what I'm getting at. Much like in the US, the government here is tolerated because the people believe they have a chance to get rich, no matter how small that chance is. So if that social contract proves to be false, what happens?
Some Ching dynasty chinese chap ("Tsang Kwok Fan" 1811-1872 something like that), a well-known historical figure in chinese history who was both a General and a Scholar answered your question in this way.
When you see these three things happening in China, you know the dynasty's belly-up time is just around the corner.
1. When wrong becomes right, vice versa.
2. The humble and meek leave the stage and go into silence.
3. Arrogant scumbags flare their claws and roar out loud.
That dude did witness the Ching dynasty going belly-up.
WooMow:
1. I think backing up your car to kill the pedestrian you just hit to avoid paying his medical bills counts.
2. Hard to say, the meek have been silenced by design.
3. Giant military parade to celebrate the end of a 70 year old war, to show they're ready for the next one.
Perhaps it's closer than I thought.
earthizen:
Yes, I agree. Wait till more foreign capitals flee China. The mass exodus was on last week's news. It looks like a good start.
You are failing to understand another aspect of Chinese attitude, and that is patriotism. Sure, many live on hard times, but its that hope for their kids/ grandkids in the future that keeps them satisfied. Remember, China is mostly Han, ergo it is a homogenous society. Although the masses do see the wealth inequality, and the money/ materialism flaunting, etc. they also witnessed THEIR nation become very powerful economically on the world stage, transitioning from agrarian to an industrial based society along with some hi-tech stuff produced as well. and ongoing development with infrastructure. In their minds, THEY BUILT THEIR NATION...and in a way, they all did.
RandomGuy:
Their patriotism/nationalism is fake, it's a cover for their inferiority complex to foreigners. Chinese hate their country, their culture and their fellow countrymen. The biggest achievement for any Chinese ... is to leave China forever. Chinese who successfully settled among Whiteys, are seen as winners. Japanese or Koreans on the other hand, rarely emigrate, truly love their country and their kin.
dongbeiren:
Like Eorthisio says, the nationalism is often used to cover a massive inferiority complex - Chinese know that their country sucks but get super defensive if foreigners point that out. They are "proud to be Chinese" but are more proud to buy imported products, travel abroad or immigrate.
earthizen:
There is also the face thing although what you are saying is also what I am hearing from some mainlanders too. But guess what, those who are extremely satisfied with CCP's performance, upon closer scrutiny by me, turned out to be big ego wumaos who are brainwashed by CCP. One look at their miserable living conditions (deep inside they also know that except their ego refuse to admit it) and you know they are lying to prop up their face, living in denial. Truly pitiful in a way but extremely toxic at the same time.
When the ugly face of the ruling party re-emerge (Wen Jai Bo, the ex-premier, told them in 2012 if they didn't shape up [what they heard was, if they didn't at least put on a fake show of some kind], their end was near), that's the time this dynasty goes belly-up. For now, yes, some are played and manipulated because of their face-seeking ego. Just wait patiently and you will see, the dark side of chinese has never been altered in any manner. It is merely camouflaged as required. Superficial facial cosmetics in short.
WooMow:
I asked a question not long ago about the Chinese people's real attitudes toward the CCP. Overwhelmingly the answer was, "We love our country, not our government." I find this holds true with my Chinese friends as well.
What if the government loses the SOEs and the Foreign capital, and Chinese citizens actually have to pay hefty taxes, like a real socialist country? We might hear some real opinions if the CCP starts putting their hands in the peoples' coffers...
I really think the CCP is one bad move away from real social unrest.
silverbutton1:
@Woomow. I disagree unless it is a national catastrophe involving a massive economic collapse. As long as folks have at least some money coming in to make sure there is food on the table, folks will put up with it. Its only when adults begin to see their children starve due to hunger is when the time is ripe for revolution. But even then, if it doesnt occur, then its harder for one to forment simply due to the masses suffering from starvation.
