China’s psychiatric terror

China scholar (and my former teacher) Jonathan Mirsky has an excellent review/essay on China’s persecution of political dissidents in the current issue of the New York Review of Books: “China’s psychiatric terror.”
You don’t want to be diagnosed as a “political maniac” in China. “Political maniacs” are those “who shout reactionary slogans, write reactionary banners and reactionary letters, make anti-government speeches in public, and express opinions on important domestic and international affairs.” A diagnosis of “political mania” or “negative political speech and action” can land you in an Ankang. It is the goal of China’s government to establish an Ankang in every major Chinese city. Read Mirsky for the sorry details.

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