Emerging Expression and Smart Mobs - The Theoretical Implications of China's Anti-Japan Demonstrations

ABSTRACT

The April 2005 anti-Japan demonstrations that erupted in China were aided by the use of the Internet and cell phones, giving the movement "smart mob" and "emergence" characteristics. Smart mobs refer to the role of telecommunication-i.e. "smart"-technologies, in making communication between participants easier and faster, thereby allowing mobs to reach large scales in a short time. Emergence or emerging expression refers to the unanticipated creation of macro-scale trends and orders that grow out of interconnected, localized communication. The unforeseen nature of the anti-Japanese demonstrations in China can be thought of as a manifestation of this "emergence". The phenomena of smart mobs and emergence are not necessarily linked, but in the recent demonstrations in China, it is worthwhile to look at the combination of these two characteristics. It is often posited that the Chinese government allowed these demonstrations to occur, but when considering that the Chinese government gained almost nothing from the demonstrations, this does not seem to be the case. In fact, it is more likely that as the demonstration grew beyond the Chinese government's expectations, the government temporarily lost control of its citizens. This report analyzes the outbreak of the anti-Japan demonstrations in China from the perspective of emergence, and considers the risks implied therein.