The leading party of the socialist revolution that expropriated the bourgeoisie in 1949 went through countless transformations since the capitalist restoration in China. Being at first a Stalinist Party heading a bureaucratized Workers’ State it went on to lead a bourgeois State under the regime of a counterrevolutionary dictatorship. This metamorphosis of the CP began in 1978, when Deng, Xiaoping launched the “market socialism” and declared “getting rich is glorious”, echoing the slogan “Get rich” that Buharin and Stalin addressed to the kulaks[1] of the USSR in 1923.
At the 14th Congress of the Chinese Communist Party held in 1992 the expression “market socialism” was substituted by economy of socialist market”, where market economy became preponderant reflecting the economic changes after the massacre of the Tiananmen Square In 1997, during the 15th Congress, a new definition of socialism was proposed for the statutes of the party: “social justice and market economy”. The vice- President of the Academy of Social Science, Liu Ji, summed up Marxism as a doctrine where “the interest of the people is most important thing and the party must serve its people with whole heart,”[2] where the budding Chinese bourgeoisie was included.
{module Propaganda 30 anos – MORAL}At the 16th Congress, held in 2002, the CP represented “advanced productive forces, innovating culture and the interests of the ample masses”. The aim was to allow for the affiliation to the party of capitalists – who represented the headway of productive forces. According to a research by the Academy of Social Science of China carried out in 2007, 11% of the 13 million Chinese entrepreneurs wished to join the Chinese CP.[3] Obviously, this figure does not take into account those who had already joined since the Congress resolution.
All these ideological changes respond to deep alterations in the social composition of the Chinese CP. Bureaucracy was at the key posts to benefit from the measures of privatization implanted and became the owners of the factories they used to run or taking advantage of the liberation of market in order to accumulate capital. A proud representative to the 17th Congress of the CP, for example, boasted at an interview that in 1994 he had invested $15 000 in a paper recycling mill and in 2006, he managed to put up a factory of light bulbs[4]. This representative used to be a peasant, a CP leader in his village.
It has been estimated that, by the 15th Congress, 5% of the population earned more than $12 000 a year, a considerable amount taking Chinese standards into account. In 2006 there were already 7 multimillionaires and 300 thousand millionaires, 400 of which possessed more than $60 million. Many of them are former members of the party.
Apart from favourable laws, privileged relations in the apparatus were taken advantage of and so was a gigantic corruption. For example, He Minxu, former vice governor of Anhui was sentenced to death for receiving bribes of about $1.12 million. Another member of the CP, Wang Huaizhong was accused of unlawful enrichment and given a lethal injection on 2004 for having hoarded $ 640000.[5]
The programme passed at the 17th Congress highlighted that the target of the party was “construction of socialism with Chinese features”, under the “people’s democratic dictatorship”. That is why, in 1978, it became necessary to “repudiate the erroneous theory and practice of “considering class struggle as the main guideline” and give priority to economic development and – in this way – lead the country out of the first stage of socialism” which will last “more than a hundred years”.[6]
The main task is, therefore, “develop the productive forces” through reforms, with internal harmony, in accordance with the law and in “peaceful coexistence” with all the remaining nations so as to “satisfy the three historic tasks… national reunification, ensure world peace and promote the common development”.
In this way, dictatorship of proletariat is substituted by the dictatorship of people and class struggle is abandoned so that the Chinese working class can support more than hundred years of capitalist exploitation during the first stage of socialism with Chinese features. All this, with peaceful coexistence with imperialism for the sake of peace in the world. It is with this collection of re-negotiations of Marxism that the CP of China completes its metamorphosis heading for a party of capitalist law and order.
______________________________
[1]Russian peasants who employed salariedlabour
[2]G. Buster, The transition to capitalism, IV Online Magazine, December 2003
[3]Private companies playing a bigger role, www.china.org.cn/english/congress
[4]Village Party chief: prosperity for all, www.china.org.cn/englishcongress
[5]Former vice governor sentenced to death for bribery, www.china.org.cn/english
[6]Report to the 17th Congress of the CCP, www.china.org.cn/english/congress/225438.htm.
