The state is able to take advantage of the social capital by deploying social actors and in exercising social capital, through the process of persuasion. They'll be putting on pressure on these families, but the pressures being put on them are social pressures. People would often cave into this social pressure. So, there is compliance, but it doesn't feel like state repression.Lynette OngBecome a Patron!Make a one-time Donation to Democracy Paradox.A full transcript is available at www.democracyparadox.com.Lynette Ong is an associate professor of political science at the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy at the University of Toronto. She is the author of the recent book Outsourcing Repression: Everyday State Power in Contemporary China.Key HighlightsIntroduction - 0:48Thugs for Hire - 2:47Political, Economic, and Social Brokers - 12:52Zero-Covid Protests - 20:34Outsourcing Repression After the Protests - 32:17Key LinksOutsourcing Repression: Everyday State Power in Contemporary China by Lynette Ong"China’s Massive Protests Are the End of a Once-Trusted Governance Model" by Lynette Ong in the Foreign PolicyLearn more about Lynette OngDemocracy Paradox PodcastJessica Pisano on How Zelenskyy Changed UkraineLucan Way on Ukraine. Democracy in Hard Places.More Episodes from the PodcastMore InformationDemocracy GroupApes of the State created all MusicEmail the show at jkempf@democracyparadox.comFollow on Twitter @DemParadox, Facebook, Instagram @democracyparadoxpodcast100 Books on DemocracyDemocracy Paradox is part of the Amazon Affiliates Program and earns commissions on items purchased from links to the Amazon website. All links are to recommended books discussed in the podcast or referenced in the blog.Support the show