Development in Communist China
Class #2 (11/08/2011)
Land Reforms:
Mao consider that land reform aimed 3 mains goals:
1 - Foundations
2 – Elimination political oppositions (landlords)
3 – Perform the task of development
Development in the cold war was pragmatically different than in the inter-war for the competitive aspect between communism and capitalism.
The choices were largely reduced at that moment, in a sense that Mao himself admitted that, despite recognizing one side as the right one (the communist one), there was no much floor for other choices.
The development model was very constrained by the two global paradigms of US capitalism and soviet socialism.
Since China didn't have the resources, they had to set their economical planin according to Soviet standards.
==> All those constraints and lack of choices added to the Chinese communist's lack of experience, all lead to a fragile and in many aspects failure of their modernization.
==> Mao used to say Marxism is not something which applies to the abstract, but, instead, a method with which they were suposed to face real situations.
Theoretically Mao didn't contribute to the Marxist theory as, for example, Lenin did.
The Chinese communist development reflects his approaches of the Marxism, more than new kinds of Marxist theories developed by him.
==> About Marxism in Mao's view:
One fundamental point is that he was a direct materialist thinker.
How does the development happen? For him it was something to occur out of contradictions of the system.
This come from the Hegelian dialectics according to which a thesis raises an antithesis and that generates some contradictory forces eventually to lead to new a new stage referred as synthesis.
Accordingly, and more specific to the Marxist hegelianism applied to social analysis, the social contradictions star increasing quantitatively until a point where they become qualitatively unsustainable, expressing than the limit between thesis, antithesis and, therefore, highlighting the possibilities of synthesis.
Inevitably, struggle has to be seen as a part in this process. And until reaching the turning point, this struggle is expected to come time and time again.
This raised the issue of choosing the form of struggles to emerge in this between, and this is, to him, the real political goal: to make the right choice.
Right choice would mean ways of bringing struggle in ways that economic forces are pushed to change.
Here its very important to note that, in Maoism, politics is more important and previous to economics, therefore, the main struggle for political changes must be also concerned to the second, and still very important goal, of transforming also economics.
It may seems contradictory with Marxism, which strenghts the most important role of economics, however, one must remind that even for Marx politics, in a sense of conscience, comes first than economics.
We could look to the very choice of the productive structure as a prevalence of politics over economics even for Marx.
==> Tsunyi Conference. Between 1935 to 1945 Mao was in a very close interaction between theory and practice.
==> Mao has some main goals of the revolution:
For him, the nation was the first and undeniable vector of reaching the global working class loyalty.
1. Restructuring of society and its structures.
2. Reorientation of ideas which remain even after the restructuring of material structures.
3. Social mobilization to ensure having a Peoples Social Democratic Dictatorship (PSDD)
4. Formation of loyalty and identity (national centered, despite his beliefs in the general Marxist idea of a global working class)
* In general terms, the whole idea was to create ways of fostering a more cooperative society.
In the official publications of Maoist China the goal of ending up feudalism and empowering the labor class against entrepreneur bourgeoisie (more linked to international imperialism) was always present.
On that interpretation the small bourgeoisie and nationalistic bourgeoisie were seen as allied groups, altogether with the peasants and laborers.
There was the main idea of taking lands from great landlords to benefit small peasants, but with the clear remark of not bothering medium producers.
He was very concerned on not decreasing production levels, even because that was saw as the main fuel for his revolution.
His land reforms were selectively targeting specific groups.
Data of the social stratification in China at the moment of the revolution:
Landlords = 5%
Someone who owns land and does not engage in labor.
Depends on exploitation due to clearly unfair negotiations with the peasantry (specially by landing land and hiring of labor).
Rich Person = 0 -1 %
Own land in much more productive ways.
Also works in the land.
Middle peasants = 8%
Own land in much more productive ways.
Also works in the land.
Poor and middle peasants = 3%
Own land in much more productive ways.
Also works in the land.
Farm laborers = 52%
Don have possession of the land they work.
Are exploited by the others for having to rent land.
Small land owners = 4%
Workers = 1%
Small peddlers (somewhat equals to the Brazilian “Boia-Frias”) = 20%
Vagabonds = 2%
Mao put group of laborers together in MAI (Aid Teams).
Film suggestion: 1950 agrarian reform
==> There was army in 6 Chinese administrative areas after Mao: This is seen more as a way to designate peoples role according to the revolutionary purposes, and also to manage crises before they grow.
Chinese domestic organization: Province, county, village
==> The land reform situation in the north was way more developed in the beginning due to the long term militia existence there.
==> Much was done to foster agriculture and preserve this source of economic strength for China.
==> After framing the goal of the revolution, one second inquire Mao raised was concerning
He imposed a marriage law which broke up with the patriarchal restrictions for women.
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