 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|---|
Inheritance
The roots of China’s recent boom extend deep into its imperial and communist past. But tradition’s legacy is a complicated one. To achieve modern development, China had to throw off the “yoke” of traditional society. Yet the long traditions of centralized government administration, kin-based entrepreneurism, and value placed on education and diligence prepared the Chinese well for capitalism. Despite catastrophes like the Great Leap Forward and the famine in its wake, Mao Zedong’s nation building efforts between the founding of the PRC in 1949 and the unleashing of the Cultural Revolution in 1966 laid socialist foundations for the subsequent boom. Even the disastrous, decade-long Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution contributed to the boom: By eroding public support for radical politics, the ground was cleared for a transition from revolution to reform—for new policies that were gradualist, internationalist and capitalist. |
||
Cultural Revolution Raised Mass Support for ReformPeriod: Inheritance (Pre-1978)
|
Click to expand With regard to the history factor, the political factor, you cannot ignore the Cultural Revolution. China's reform and opening didn't happen until after the 10-year catastrophe that was the Cultural Revolution and common Chinese people supported these reforms. They remained committed to the path of opening up, a crucial piece of historical background. First, I think the Cultural Revolution and the history of reform forced Chinese people and leaders to realize that they must follow the path of market reform. Because the previous period, the period under the centrally-planned economy, created shortages of all sorts of goods, the national economy was able to expand in certain areas like heavy industry, but the people were poor. Common people faced serious hardship. Life then was also quite equal. It was fair. The gaps in wealth weren't too large. But, basically, life was poor. Deng Xiaoping had a saying, "Poverty isn't socialism." So, I think you can say, under these circumstances, market reform was necessary. Along with market reform came personal freedoms, and this invigorated the response in the economy and in productivity. Secondly, I think because of the Cultural Revolution and its bitter lessons, Chinese people, top to bottom, are very single-minded. China cannot look back. It can't repeat the same mistake. I think that in spite of the 30-year period of reform, there is still conflict between the left and right, sometimes very serious conflict, especially on points of ideology. There are people with old ways of thinking. Some advocate returning to a planned economy. I think having experienced the Cultural Revolution makes the majority of people completely opposed to this idea. You can say most people know China's current period is the greatest period in its history. The people have rights and freedoms, so it's the best period in that way too.
|
Cite this Source >>
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Add New Comment
comments powered by Disqus