The Olympic Games that begin in Beijing on Friday will provide surprises and memories that live on throughout the years to come. What is certain is that not all of these surprises will be welcomed by the Chinese government, or the international community.
There is no reason to think the Games will be anything other than a wonderful spectacle that will be enjoyed by billions around the world. The People's Republic of China has employed massive amounts of money, time, energy and creativity to ensure this is the result.
However, the fact is that the Olympics have their own way of providing memorable surprises and the most uplifting of results.
Just as Olympic medals are the result of a mixture of talent, sheer hard work and luck, a successful Olympics is not just the product of meticulous planning and goodwill on the part of the citizens of the host nation, but also depends upon the absence of international boycotts and political point scoring.
Although there will be no substantial boycott of the Beijing Olympics, apart from perhaps a few non-attendees at the opening ceremony, the Chinese government has realised that holding the Games has not been without cost.
While the successful bid to host the Olympics bolstered national pride within China, it also brought with it hitherto unexpected engagement with large numbers of international communities, ranging from human rights protestors to cyber activists.
It is clear that the Beijing Olympics has already been a great example of what is known as the law of unexpected consequences, and these unexpected consequences will continue to accrue over the next few weeks, even as other memorable Olympic moments unfold.
The torch relay has been one such example of an event with unexpected consequences. It is also a salient example of how such consequences exert their influence on more than just the Chinese government and populace at large.
For instance, activists and protestors around the world welcomed the relay as an opportunity to raise a number of concerns about the political situation in China and sought to use this occasion to bring these issues to a broader international consciousness.
Campaigners who lined the torch routes in major cities throughout the world included people flying banners promoting animal rights in China, protesting the treatment of Falun Gong practitioners and raising the question of Tibetan and Taiwanese independence.
Largely through peaceful and even theatrical means these