Chapter 6.1 - The rule of protocol

After classes every morning I usually get online to get updated on news and hearsay aka. facebook. This afternoon I decided to go through the trash papers in Norway and came upon an article in "Verdens Gang"(VG), in English; "The events of the world"(the name seems almost ironic if you know what kind of stories they print).

First, a few frustrations. I must say, I find it disturbing that a country like Norway, that deems itself to be the peace-nation of the world, a nation of communication before reckless action, only has two major newspapers, and both of them can be compared to "the Sun" in Britain. What does that tell us about the environment and setting for political debate? Contrary to my feelings though, I still frequent the web-pages of the said newspapers for some annoying reason I have yet to pin down. Consequently, this post will, really against my own priciples, be a commentary on the formerly mentioned story in the formerly mentioned trash paper called VG. Ah, what one does not do for one's audience...

For my English readers, the story describes a Norwegian beach-volleyball team that was on their way home from practice when their bus-driver drove the wrong way home. Thereby approaching "the olympic village" from the wrong direction. As a consequence the police barred the athletes from exiting the bus for a few hours. The people inside was of course really frustrated since they were hungry and wanted to get home.


This story illustrates quite well an issue that one will meet no matter were you go, or what you do in China; "the rule of protocol". At the latest census in 2005 China had a population of about 1,3 billion. When a country is this large, governing bodies, the police and other bodies of authority will unavoidably need to establish rules and regulations as to how people are to behave, or not behave in public areas. This however, is no different than what one might find in Norway or any other western country. The difference in China however, lies in the willingness to be lenient when applying both the rule of law and the rule of protocol.

On the one hand, China has one of the world's worst records of corruption. The idea that if you know a politician, or have one in you family, you are secured privileges and extra cash is an established part of Chinese society that goes way back into the dynastic periods. Arguably even as far back as the beginning of the civil examination system during the Han Dynasty 200 BC. (This dynasty is also were the name Han-Chinese derive from. Most Chinese you have ever met are likely to have been Han since most emigrants from China are from the Guandong region which is predominantly Han-Chinese.)

On the other hand, when a system of protocol and conduct is established you can bet that it will be followed, down to every detail. In daily life I have allready experienced some examples: We came to a restaurant, and there was almost nobody else there so we sat down at a table for 8, even though we were only 6 people. We had to move though, because we had to(!) sit beside the air-conditioning. That was our privelege as the first guest arriving there that day:) Another is, if you forget your card at an ATM and it swollows the card, you have to(!) wait four days, and then go to a bank another place in town to pick up you card. A third is how when you shop you have to get a note from one place, pay it at another and come back to the first to pick up your stuff. What the different examples have in common is that they are reactions on the high number of people involved. Since there are so many, a system/traditions/rules of conduct is set in place in order to ensure a secure chain of events. In other words, perfectly normal and logical.

Now, with regard to the article in VG specifically. Beijing is currently hosting the Olympics, of course it will involve a strict rule of conduct and protocol. The Chinese people have heard nothing but sour commentaries from the western world before the Olympics. The police is on extremely high alert to avoid terrorism. Any person not behaving according to protocol, the rules of conduct for the massive number of people in the city, will unavoidably be carefully checked. And in order to give exceptions to these rules, a superior officer is needed, after all the police are not barbarians!

So, here comes my point, protocol and rules of conduct and the rule of rank is there for a reason; security. The fact that the Chinese people seem more taken with the rule of protocol than the rule of law, however interesting and facinating it may be, is another matter.

PS. My definitions:
The rule of protocol - Established rules and/or traditions as to what is correct or accepted behaviour. That is, smaller issues and daily life questions.
The rule of law - That all decicions are made according to laws, not subjective opninions. That is, firmly established laws that the population and government both must live by.