BEIJING — One month after a massive earthquake killed nearly 70,000 people, some of the effects of the crisis may hardly outlast the rubble, even as other seismic shifts irrevocably shake the Chinese government and society.
The cooperative response of local government officials to the quake will probably be short-lived, analysts said, as corruption and a sense of entitlement resurge just as billions of dollars flow into Sichuan province for reconstruction.
One lasting change, however, is the prominent focus in recent weeks on the individual in a culture that has long emphasized collectivism. The tone was set by Premier Wen Jiabao's personal attention to victims in the wreckage and his well-publicized reminder that the army's first responsibility was to the public, not the other way around. "It is the people who are feeding you," he reportedly said.
"The value put on human life and 'people-centered' themes became real," said Cheng Li, a senior fellow with the Brookings Institution. "That's a fundamental change."
Round-the-clock television coverage during the first few weeks highlighted the plight of ordinary Chinese, images interspersed with emotional narratives and family stories. This is heady stuff for a society weaned on production figures and boring news clips of its leaders on factory tours.
Although China has been moving away from collectivism for years, much of the personal expression until now has been directed at consumer choice: beauty treatments, buying condos, owning more stocks.
Watching the outpouring of empathy and sacrifice by well-dressed young urbanites, older Chinese have heaved a collective sigh of relief, their concern blunted that the younger generation was selfish and lacked social awareness.
"While the primary focus for this generation is still on themselves, making money and pursuing their careers, the crisis has also revealed another side," said Li Lulu, a sociologist at People's University in Beijing. "It's showed they are also concerned with society and the nation."
Another change that appears to be durable, analysts said, is the government's willingness to allow foreign humanitarian aid workers, even foreign soldiers, on Chinese soil. Ostensibly a small step, it suggests a more confident nation able to accept assistance without viewing it as a threat to sovereignty and national pride.
