Faced with an insurrection in Wukan, after villagers protested about local officials' profiteering from the sale of land, Beijing ended up siding with the villagers.

ECONOMIST: Chen Guangcheng

"One by one, the courts in New York are siding with the people over oil and gas industry interests, ruling that local municipalities have the right to decide what industrial activities are appropriate for their communities, " said Deborah Goldberg, attorney for the environmental group Earthjustice who will argue on behalf of Dryden and Middlefield in Albany on Thursday.

WSJ: 3rd NY town wins in court over fracking ban