The Politics Of Performance

Sometimes, I wonder at the political power behind China's Olympic ceremonies. Granted, it was utter greatness in the realm of performance, but one might wonder at the political might that was necessary to pull the whole thing off.

For one, there was great financial expense...which may or may not have been approved had it been held in a country where people were more inclined to be more individualistic. The performance spread from the representational to the real when the city dedicated to the event greatly restricted traffic within it, and even had cloud banishers to ensure that nature did not rain on the party. Finally, they completed the experience with the smiling ambassadors deployed throughout the city.

Was this likely, or even possible in a less authoritarian country? Though capable of feats of synchronicity and discipline, one must wonder at the controls necessary to keep the people under control to this extent...