Why is Xi Jinping so determined to tighten the leash on Party members? The answer would seem obvious once the extent of corruption, moral depravity and indiscipline among Party members is fully appreciated. In one illuminating case, Yuan Ling, a former county Party Secretary convicted of taking over 40 million yuan ($6.3 million) of bribes, was once an upright cadre who had vowed to stay clean. First working at a university, where temptations were few, Yuan had managed to protect her integrity. However, after being assigned to a new post in a local government, she came under pressure to conform to the common practice of accepting red envelopes containing cash. Refusing red envelopes, as Yuan did initially, alienated her from her colleagues. Read more
