Crises, as yesterday’s Dynastic Cycle chart (which is every Dynastic Cycle chart you looked at in school) shows, tends to happen all at once.

So the rebellion in Wukan coincides with the collapse of China’s credit markets, with the stock markets following close behind.

Chinese stocks are flashing warning signs. The Shanghai index has fallen 30pc since May. It is off 60pc from its peak in 2008, almost as much in real terms as Wall Street from 1929 to 1933.

Now authoritarian regimes are often able to handle crises. But if they don’t…