BEIJING — In a system with a centuries-long tradition of austere leaders laying down the mandate of heaven from behind their palace walls, China's response to the worst natural disaster in 30 years reveals a nation in the throes of political evolution.

The scale of destruction is so vast — and the horizon for a return to normalcy so distant — that it is difficult to imagine a carefree crowd in Beijing when the country plays host to the highly-anticipated Olympic Games beginning Aug. 8.

The 7.9-magnitude quake that struck Monday compromised what was shaping up as a golden opportunity for President Hu Jintao and other leaders to rally support among China's 1.3 billion people for continuing the party's monopoly on power indefinitely.

The country's shared anger over Olympic torch-relay protests and heightened security concerns that followed protest in Tibet over domination by the Chinese had already created a less friendly environment her...

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