Popular overthrow of the government is an integral part of the historiography of China. While China never (except for very briefly) had democracy, ever since i

Popular overthrow of the government is an integral part of the historiography of China. While China never (except for very briefly) had democracy, ever since its first dynasties there was the idea of the "Mandate of Heaven". Emperors ruled via that mandate but unlike the Western "Divine Rights", the mandate can be lost if the emperor does a bad job. How? A popular revolt. Emperors can rule with absolute power but the people has the "right" to overthrow him. A revolt that is successful is considered blessed by heaven. Most Chinese dynasties are the results of popular revolts. This what gives rise to the dynastic cycle of China. Chinese governments of the past weren't any less powerful in regards to what they can do but that has never stopped them from being overthrown. The escape from this cycle is a non-violent change of government, i.e. democracy, but China just took a giant step in the opposite direction by getting rid of term limits. So back to the cycles!