Chinese Socialism Today

A Socialist Reading Group Discussion

November 19, 2013
 Zhao Boying, Chinese Central Party
School

a unique state system, which combines the Chinese socialist

system and traditional market economy
Crucial to this strategy is the establishment of the socialist
market economy, which is strikingly different from the
Soviet model, and models of Western countries.
The new system gives play to the role of the market
mechanism while emphasizing the governments strong
macro-regulatory functions.
 Zhao Boying, Chinese Central Party
School

Political restructuring is carried out steadily to improve

administration, the legal system and democratic
governance.
The achievements to date offer proof that China is following
a unique and successful path to development.
China Communist Party Hierarchy
Chinas Leading Political Institutions
 Zhao Boying, Chinese Central Party
School
Challenges
Extensive economic growth results in increased
consumption of material resources, and to environmental
deterioration
Chinas export-oriented economic development pattern is
unsustainable.
Domestic demand is insufficient
Gaps in income, in ruralurban development, and between
regions are continuing to widen because of unbalanced
economic and social development.
 Zhao Boying, Chinese Central Party
School

Challenges
There are problems in social security, medical and health
services, education and housing
Corruption remains a serious problem and
there is also the occasional issue of peoples rights and
interests being infringed.
 Deng Xiaoping

Is there a contradiction between a market economy and the

socialist system?
Deng: There is no fundamental contradiction between
socialism and a market economy. The problem is how to
develop the productive forces more effectively. We used to
have a planned economy, but our experience over the years
has proved that having a totally planned economy hampers
the development of the productive forces to a certain
extent. If we combine a planned economy with a market
economy, we shall be in a better position to liberate the
productive forces and speed up economic growth.
 Deng Xiaoping

in the course of reform we shall make sure of two things:

one is that the public sector of the economy is always
predominant; the other is that in developing the economy
we seek common prosperity, always trying to avoid
polarization. The policies of using foreign funds and
allowing the private sector to expand will not weaken the
predominant position of the public sector, which is a basic
feature of the economy as a whole. On the contrary, those
policies are intended, in the last analysis, to develop the
productive forces more vigorously and to strengthen the
public sector.
Deng Xiaoping: Four Cardinal Rules

to keep to the socialist road and

to uphold the people's democratic dictatorship,
leadership by the Communist Party, and
Marxism-Leninism and Mao Zedong Thought
 Hu Jintao (Former CPC Gen. Sec.) -
Socialist Democracy in China

Without democracy there can be no socialism and socialist

modernization
the essence of socialist democracy is that the people
determine their own destiny
We have eliminated de facto life tenure for leading officials,
and realized orderly succession of organs of state power
and leaders.
We have expanded orderly public participation in political
affairs
the people are extensively involved in decision making
 Hu Jintao - Socialist Democracy in
China

We have upheld and improved multiparty cooperation

under the leadership of the CPC, carried out political
consultation, democratic oversight and participation in the
deliberation and administration of state affairs, and
developed the broadest possible patriotic united front.
We have set up a sound decision-making mechanism that
enables us to be fully aware of the conditions of the people,
reflect their will, pool their wisdom and lighten their burden
to make sure all our decisions meet the peoples interests
and aspirations.
 Hu Jintao - Socialist Democracy in
China
We have set up a sound and dynamic personnel mechanism
which attracts large numbers of talented people, puts them
to best use and prepares them for both promotion and
demotion.
We have established a socialist system of laws with Chinese
characteristics. Under this system, the Party willingly
operates within the limit set by the Constitution and laws
and supports the peoples congress, the government, the
Chinese Peoples Political Consultative Conference, and the
judicial organs which have independent responsibilities in
accordance with the law and their respective charters in
working in concert and harmony.
 Hu Jintao - Socialist Democracy in
China
We have set up a sound system of checks and supervision
over the exercise of power to ensure that Party and state
organs exercise their powers in accordance with statutory
jurisdiction and procedures.
On the other hand, we must also recognize that the
development of Chinas socialist democratic legal system
has not fully met the need of expanding peoples
democracy and promoting economic and social
development. Some specific institutional arrangements of
the system of socialist democracy are inadequate, and there
is still room for improvement in terms of safeguarding
peoples democratic rights and giving play to their creativity.
As the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics moves
forward, so should the cause of building Chinas socialist
democracy.
 Is the CPC A Communist Party?

How does the CPC measure up based on Alvaro Cunhal Six

Fundamental Characteristics of a Communist Party
1. A party that is completely independent of the interests,
ideology, pressures and threats of capital? My Response:
Yes for the most part.
2. A party of the working class, of workers in general, of the
exploited and oppressed. My Response: Yes, for the most
part.
3. A party with an internal democracy and a single central
leadership My Response: Yes
4. A party that is simultaneously internationalist and defender
of the interests of its country. My Response: Lacking
Is the CPC A Communist Party?

5. A party that defines as its objective the construction

of a society without exploiters or exploited, a socialist
society. Yes, with qualifications
6. A party with a revolutionary theory, Marxism-
Leninism, that makes it possible to not only explain the
world but also point the way towards its
transformation. Yes, formally but not as much in
practice.
 My Critique

Insufficient theoretical development of the membership. A sector

of the leadership is reformist with hopes of capitalist restoration.
Many academics and leaders in government think tanks openly
promote neoliberal policies (predatory global capitalism) without
a CPC response.
No public discourse on the class struggle, the exploitation of
capitalism or US imperialism, or how to safeguard the socialist
path in China
Failure to instill socialist principles in the working class. CPC has
not actively promoted a mass scientific culture and has not
overcome backward cultural beliefs from an agrarian semi-
colonial, semi-feudal country, (Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism)
Does not appear to be an internationalist party
Some aspects of nationalism, too timid in the struggle against US
led imperialism
Too eager to fight over minor country boundaries
Mike Wallace (interview with Deng in 1086): To get rich is glorious.
That declaration by Chinese leaders to their people surprises many
in the capitalist world. What does that have to do with communism?

Deng: We went through the ``cultural revolution''. During the

``cultural revolution'' there was a view that poor communism was
preferable to rich capitalism. After I resumed office in the central
leadership in 1974 and 1975, I criticized that view. Because I did so,
I was brought down again. Of course, there were other reasons
too. I said to them that there was no such thing as poor
communism. According to Marxism, communist society is based
on material abundance. Only when there is material abundance
can the principle of a communist society -- that is, ``from each
according to his ability, to each according to his needs'' -- be
applied. Socialism is the first stage of communism. Of course, it
covers a very long historical period. The main task in the socialist
stage is to develop the productive forces, keep increasing the
material wealth of society, steadily improve the life of the people
and create material conditions for the advent of a communist
society.
 There can be no communism with pauperism, or socialism
with pauperism. So to get rich is no sin. However, what we
mean by getting rich is different from what you mean.
Wealth in a socialist society belongs to the people. To get
rich in a socialist society means prosperity for the entire
people. The principles of socialism are: first, development of
production and second, common prosperity. We permit
some people and some regions to become prosperous first,
for the purpose of achieving common prosperity faster.
That is why our policy will not lead to polarization, to a
situation where the rich get richer while the poor get
poorer. To be frank, we shall not permit the emergence of a
new bourgeoisie.
 Deng Xiaoping
February 6, 1987
Why do some people always insist that the market is
capitalist and only planning is socialist? Actually they are
both means of developing the productive forces. So long as
they serve that purpose, we should make use of them. If
they serve socialism they are socialist; if they serve
capitalism they are capitalist. It is not correct to say that
planning is only socialist, because there is a planning
department in Japan and there is also planning in the United
States. At one time we copied the Soviet model of economic
development and had a planned economy. Later we said
that in a socialist economy planning was primary. We should
not say that any longer.
 Deng Xiaoping
Comments After Tiananmen Incident in 1988: The few
intellectuals who incited the students to action oppose the
socialist system and advocate bourgeois liberalization. By that I
mean they want China to be totally Westernized and to take the
capitalist road. Our experience has shown, however, that we
cannot take that road. The reason is very simple. Ours is an
economically backward country with a population of one billion. If
we took the capitalist road, a small number of people in certain
areas would quickly grow rich, and a new bourgeoisie would
emerge along with a number of millionaires -- all of these people
amounting to less than one per cent of the population -- while the
overwhelming majority of the people would remain in poverty,
scarcely able to feed and clothe themselves. Only the socialist
system can eradicate poverty. That is why we do not allow people
to oppose socialism. By socialism, we mean socialism adapted to
conditions in China. Without the Communist Party's leadership it
would be impossible for China to go on building socialism -- that
has been proved by history.
 Is there such a thing as Socialist
Market Economy?

What is meant by market?

Is it just a euphemism for capitalism? Is it only a mechanism
to determine prices and production needs?
Does it address the issue of social relations wage slavery,
stealing of surplus value generated by workers?
Is it a concession or does it imply that capitalism is the only
means to rapid economic growth? Why did China have to
include the capitalist mode of production after the
revolution and abolition of capitalism? Why continue after
the current modernization of China?
 Is there such a thing as Socialist
Market Economy?

Is capitalism necessary in a backward country after the

working class has obtained complete political power
because of lack of current scientific production methods
and updated management techniques? If a little capitalism
is good, then why not restore capitalist rule?
If only a concession, why not say so? When will it end? If
the socialist stage of development will take 100 years, is that
then the end of markets or the beginning of communist
stage?
How is the predominant public production sector and
complete working class rule guaranteed?