China Cracks Down on 'Western Values' in Textbooks, but Embraces Hollywood's 'Captain America'

HOLLYWOOD -- The Federalist Papers may be out, but "Captain America" is in. China's top education authorities have recently launched a campaign to curb the teaching of "Western values" in universities through primary texts that promote individual liberty, rule of law, an independent civil society and distrust of political authority. Yet Chinese audiences flock unbothered to such Hollywood films as "Captain America," "Transformers, "Hunger Games" or "Spider Man" which, in their essential message,...