It seems the Jade Emperor, or is it the Old Mole, is priming China for another round of the usual Totalitarian Regime-Messianic Uprising-Warring States-New Totalitarian Regime cycle typical of this particular civilization. Or they might just call a free election and legalize independent labor unions! I wouldn´t count on it, however...
From "In Defence of Marxism", the website of the International Marxist Tendency, which explains the weirdly triumphalist revolutionary rhetoric of these pieces. Still, they do contain interesting information. It seems the working class is getting the short end of the stick...as always. But yes, the IMT might be right that a new revolution is right ahead. That would explain why the present Chinese leadership has become so downright totalitarian lately. It´s not "despite" the market reforms, but *because of them*. Think Pinochet rather than Gorbachev...
Mingongs and the radicalization of the Chinese working class
Does John Ross and "Socialist Action" (UK) support this?
ReplyDeleteMax Shachtman did nothing wrong.
ReplyDeleteI never broke personal relations with Max.
ReplyDelete"Everyone" (ok, the pundits) assumed that China would become less authoritarian as it became more capitalist, since capitalism always leads to an open society and therefore blah-blah.
ReplyDeleteDidn´t happen, did it now?
The neo-totalitarianism of the Chinese regime, which seems downright neo-Stalinist, must be caused by increasing contradictions within Chinese society. Of course, there is also the international confrontation with the United States. But the principal reason must be internal, since even a regime locked in perennial conflict with foreign powers could refrain from being totalitarian (or even authoritarian) if it enjoys widespread popular support. One more pandemic, the shit will be lit ablaze, and off we go...
ReplyDeleteTime for the Chinese to form a super-Solidarnosc and take effective power?
ReplyDelete