The New Face of China's Communist Party

This profile of China's Communist Party from the Guardian seems pretty accurate to me. While I'm not sure that it had ever quite not been about getting a solid job in government (or attain power), I think people are more willing to talk about it now. Out of pure foolishness (though I resist, honest mom, I do), I find myself drawn into conversations that I shouldn't be having in China and I find that of the Communist Party members I know, they do find the mandatory meetings boring and they have a healthy disdain for the leadership. I do however also find it somewhat comforting that they're increasingly willing to talk about it.

A sub note and observation is that I find it more comforting that in the China of today, the most ambitious do not direct their passions towards the pursuit of power but instead to the attainment of wealth. This is a particularly good thing for the world and will hopefully moderate some in the Party who seek to expand their influence through armed conflict. What perhaps this article doesn't discuss is the distinction between the military and political wings of the Party. From what I've heard, people reserve the greatest disdain not for the political leaders but those of the military who some say hold the real power in China.