Interesting article by Lawrence Solomon in the Financial Post describing "China's Fragile Success." He says it is only a matter of time before a spark is set off and the China powderkeg explodes. Many of the 300 million people who have risen out of poverty flaunt their new wealth. There are 500,000 millionaires and 200 billionaires. They became rich by being awarded the lion's share of the state's resources by the ruling class. Government corruption is widely recognized. The corruption deprives the poor of their homes, livelihoods, health and lives.

The government tries to ban demonstartions but last year alone saw 100,000 protests across the country. Corrupt officials have made contingency plans - foreign passports, second homes abroad, planning their escapes. The government shows no interest in relaxing its grip on power - if it did so the officials in power might face retribution. We in the West see a China that by all measures is growing stronger and stronger, not realizing that it is also becoming more brittle. China's regime will likely go out with a bang. No regime can contain the grievances of a billion people for long.

So, in Solomon's view, the engine of the world economy that appears to be driving commodity demand and prices is on shaky ground indeed. Nothing, these days, is simple.