Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Polling is Dangerous

There are places in the world where publishing a poll can get you fired, interrogated or shot. 

A couple of weeks ago, the power of the Chinese media apparatus was aimed at suppressing a mild-mannered pollster at the University of Hong Kong for publishing data showing that two-thirds of Hong Kong residents identify more with the enclave than the China as projected by the Beijing government.

Robert Chung has withstood Beijing’s attacks before and will likely survive this one.  But, it is a reminder that for whatever economic success the Beijing foreman has achieved, it has a high cost to freedom and can be dangerous to those living in its proximity.

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