Xi Broke the Social Contract That Helped China Prosper https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/01/opinion/china-covid-protests.html

This is what many people don't get: Prior to Xi Jinping, the Chinese Communist Party survived because it wasn't heavy handed or intrusive. You could do pretty much whatever you wanted in China as long as it didn't involve politics or religion or challenge the Party in any way.

Yes, there were stresses and overreach: Authorities cracking down on pool halls, net bars, etc., shutting down stores and street vendors. Corruption was rampant, and people in power routinely used their authority to squash business competitors or evade punishment by the law.

And these stresses and overreach sometimes caused localized protests that were sometime quite serious, with police cars set on fire, etc.

But for all practical purposes, many of the laws and regulations that libertarians in the US complain about were nonexistent or were only infrequently enforced. No zoning regulations. Laughable business regulations and almost complete non-enforcement of those with a bite.

Sure, TV, the Internet, and films were heavily censored, but you could buy pirated DVDs of nearly any genre on any street corner, and could set up an illegal satellite dish without fear.

The main goal of the CCP back then was not to control, but to maintain its monopoly on power. So long as its monopoly wasn't threatened, nearly anything could go.

Now that has changed, and everyone is under the government's thumb.

This exactly. It is why China is entering uncharted territory.