What's happening in China?
What's happening in China?
Historical context, objectives, analogies and my pushback
🇯🇵 Shinzo Abe, former PM of Japan, launched “Abenomics” in 2013 — to revive the Japanese economy from the prolonged slump it was in.
Here’s my presentation The Spell of Abe from ~10 years ago.
🇨🇳 In the piece below I provide context and then the punchline of how Xi first suffered from Mao’s repression, but now taking a page from his playbook…
And risking a lot in the process.
Historical Context
In May 1966, the CCP issued a directive, marking the beginning of the Cultural Revolution.
Mao Zedong’s aim was to purge China of any “capitalistic” influences and regain full control of the country. Chairman Mao was at the centre of this period, which went on for 10 years until his death in 1976.
This period was characterised by purges of citizens and party officials, as well as the establishment of camps for young Chinese dissidents. These individuals were sent to these camps for “reprogramming” and physical labour.
In 1976, Mao Zedong died and the Cultural Revolution was brought to an end.
Cultural Revolution ends. Deng Xiaoping takes power.
Two years after Mao’s death, the legendary reformist and visionary Deng Xiaoping took power, initiating the “Reform and Opening Up” of China.
This new era introduced market elements, foreign investment and mandatory education for all Chinese.
—> This marked the end of the Cultural Revolution and the beginning of a new chapter for China.
—> 23 years after Deng Xiaoping took power, China joined the World Trade Organization (WTO) and has continued its rapid ascent ever since.
The Great March
Mao ascended to the highest ranks of Communist China first by taking the reins of the Red Army (at some point) during the Chinese Civil War (1927 - 1950).
The Red Army was losing from the Nationalists. This resulted in them being surrounded (c.1934) without enough supplies to sustain themselves or the battle.
The Red Army finally managed to breakthrough and embark on what is known as The Long March — a year-long trek to establish a new communist base away from the Nationalists.
Note: That’s when Mao took back the reins, during The Long March. He led them to safety to a fellow communist in the North of China.
…and guess who took them in? 👇
Enter Xi Jingping’s Father
Xi Jingping’s father — Xi Zhongxun was a communist revolutionary with a guerilla base in Yan’an, and he gave the Red Army refuge. The Long March ended there.
When Mao established the People’s Republic of China (PRC) in 1949, Xi Zhongxun was one of the elites closest to Mao.
—> Fast forward to 1966 and Mao’s grip over China was weakening.
The Great Leap Forward (1958 - 1962) was a massive failure, and Mao’s ideas were no longer taken as seriously. At the same time, Mao watched as the Soviets launched a De-Stalinization program to reverse Stalin’s policies and dismantle his personality cult.