Chinese Villagers Defending their property

I read this article that describes a group of Chinese villagers who are trying to prevent the government from selling their land to developers without consent of the villagers.

The villagers have decided to sign a pact that any villager who is harmed by the government while defending their land from seizure will be given a grand burial.  Their family will also be cared for.  This is an interesting tactic that I think would be effective.

They do not seek to physically fight the government, a fight which would be desired by the government since the government could prove its superiority by suppressing the villagers.  They only seek to defend their property from aggression and if a villager is harmed in the process that villager will be honored.  Thus, admiration is placed on the most virtuous person:  the non-aggressive defender of property.  Not some charismatic leader of some movement.  Not some eloquent orator who drums up support for violence.  And definitely not the most wicked of men:  a politician.