The nationalism of ideas
Xi Jinping wants Chinese systems of knowledge, free of Western values
In beijing a quarter-century ago, Chaguan witnessed a rare event: a criminal court finding a defendant not guilty. Back then, over 90% of Chinese criminal trials ended in convictions. This time the accused—an alleged armed robber—walked free. A lack of hard evidence and his refusal to answer police questions proved decisive. So did his defence lawyer’s plea that it is better to acquit a guilty man than to risk the “horror” of jailing an innocent.
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This article appeared in the China section of the print edition under the headline “The nationalism of ideas”
From the July 27th 2024 edition
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