While we were talking and writing about "The Communist Manifesto", I kept thinking about China. The big question for me, is how much longer can the Chinese brand of Communism last? I know that, like Russia in the past, they don't practice anything close to actual Marxism, but I'm still amazed that their system has held on for so long after the collapse of European Communism. I suppose it has something to do with the fact that so much of their population is disorganized and lives in rural areas. Another factor could be that China is still growing up technologically and economically.
A huge portion of their population doesn't have extensive, or any, contact with the outside world, or any means of organizing themselves into social or political groups, etc. Many of them live a feudal-like existence, working for different state or industrial lords. Still, they have massive modern and industrialized cities scattered about within their borders, with the technological means for theses urbanites to look at the world beyond what their government wants them to see. With a population that large, what would happen if enough of them got together and decided they didn't like the current system anymore? It's scary to think of China embroiled in a bloody civil war, especially with all of the nuclear missiles they have placed throughout their countryside.
I wonder if China's more upwardly mobile citizens will stay satisfied with the fact that they are making a ton of money off the rest of the world, and have an incredibly cheap, indigenous labor force readily available to them? Will this Chinese bourgeoisie ever wake up and seek more than just wealth? Will they ever want the freedom to create a government where they have a voice?
I know there are already opposition groups in China, but when is one going to really stick its neck out there and try to make some changes? Who will it consist of? Almost certainly the intellectual and economic elites will have to play a role because of their access and influence. It is possible that China won't have a revolution of any kind; instead, they might just stay on this path of controlled capitalism until the political, social, and economic systems have transformed themselves into more citizen friendly institutions without a fight.
Whether it happens gradually or abruptly, I think it is inevitable in this age of globalization for China's current system of government to be replaced with something closer to capitalism rather than Communism.
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One of the large problems that China faces is its current social climate. The majority of familial relationships in China are vastly different from many American households. The relationships formed in Chinese homes are similar to the type of relationships found in the rest of China’s society. Children are often introverted and reluctant to share personal information with their parents, and the same can be said for the commoners’ relationship with the controlling class. Until a rapid cultural change spreads throughout China there will not be any drastic changes in the government. As far as the bloody civil war and the nuclear missiles found throughout the countryside, I doubt the Chinese would nuke their own population if a revolt were to take place.
ReplyDeleteGood post, Ed. I, like you, have an interest in watching China develop. Something I didn't realize for a long time, is that China is in fact capitalist economically, and communist politically. In comparison, the US is capitalist economically, and a representative democracy politically. This has been key in allowing China to exist as long as they have, as they have yet to fall victim to misappropriation of resources like communist nations with social economies. As far as having a bourgeoisie, I know most factories are foreign-owned, with only the managers and workers Chinese. I think right now the citizens are happy to have the employment regardless of having a voice in policy decision-making. But as you mention, that may change.
ReplyDeleteI would say that China has been preserved so long because they have embraced capitalistic ideals in certain facets of their society. Hong Kong, for example, is a capitalistic state that is allowed to exist within the communist system. This allowance, I would contend, illustrates the actual rejection of true communism in China, in favor of socialism. Any true communistic state would reject any semblance of capitalistic society, but China embraces the economic benefits of capitalism.
ReplyDeleteCommunist or Capitalist China scares the crap out of me. With the immense population, abundance of capital, cheap labor, and rising technological affluence they are positioning themselves as THE world power.
ReplyDeleteOn a side note, if we did have to go toe to toe with them I hope that it never becomes a ground war. Like the Sicilian for the move Princess Bride said "You fell for one of the two classic blunders, The first is never get into a land war in Asia..."
I think that it is interesting that China changed its economic system but kept its political system while the USSR tried to change politically first (and then both together) and fell apart. What does this say about Marx's notion of base and superstructure (ie that what matters is the means of production?)
ReplyDeleteWill some type of democracy or parliamentary government eventually prevail there? I am not enough of a China expert to venture any sort of prediction but I think China remains an area to watch.
And thanks to Dan for one of my favorite movie quotes...