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Q: What aspects of communism are still alive in China?
Sometimes I feel like the whole communism/socialism thing is for show like with the red bandanas on children and being a member of the communist party doing nothing more than to help your business or employment eligibility. Are there any other ways that communism is still alive here?
I see the older people have pride in the communist ways through what they have been taught. From singing red songs in the park, to trying to ge there children to work for the goverment as they work for the people.
mowenting:
Is it really to work for the people or more for the money and security?
brisguy:
think it is for the perks of the role even if it is a minor role.
I find it interesting that most students don't know the words "Communist or Communism" when I say them. Surely they know the Chinese word for that but wouldn't you think they would be taught the English equivalent at an early age? That's my experience here.....and of you the same?
mowenting:
Since I am a graduate student in a Chinese/American cooperative school my experiences I'm guessing don't reflect the norm. But from what I understand, my peers often see China as "socialist with capitalist characteristics" or just as plain old capitalist. They almost seem to see communism as a "passe" kind of concept or just as corruption. Not to sure. I just kind of find it funny that people still see this place as a communist country when really I feel like this place is hyper-capitalist.
Communism is more than simply a defunct economic theory, and Communist countries don't have to adhere strictly to a planned economy. For instance, in 1921 Lenin and Trotsky introduced something called New Economic Policy to the Soviet Union, which allowed for a measure of free enterprise. The policy created a small middle class until Stalin replaced the program with the five year plan in 1928. This put the NEPmen out of business, and many of them were sent into the Gulags. Yet, very few people would claim that the Soviet Union under Lenin was not a Communist country.
What makes China a Communist country is the structure of its government. They practice what's called Democratic Centralism which means that votes are cast by a small number of Communist party members within the Politburo, which sets policy, and within the party congress, which approves (although some might say rubbers stamps) the policies put forward by the central committee within the Politburo. Communism then isn't so much an alternative to capitalism as it is an alternative to federal or parliamentary democracy.
Intelligent question, sadly I don't have an intelligent answer. On my first visit to Beijing, never seen so much capitalism in my life, I was very disappointed.
Opulance and luxury everywhere. Made me question the future for China and my concern was comfirmed when I visited villages in the countryside.
I don't know how true this is but I was told that the last vestige of communism left is that you aren't allowed to own land. You can have lifetime permission to use and build on it and that can be passed on to your offspring but you aren't allowed to actually own it. So if it is farmland and you don't use it the government can 'retake' it.
the flag.........the pictures of the chairman?.........the communist propaganda ads on the streets?........or maybe nothing left from communism anymore?!!!!..........LOL
Sadly, not very many.
giadrosich:
Oh look, the old socialist is back to spread his hate. Too bad you don't realize that your faith in a dead economic system enslaves the people, being as it is philosophically bereft. But, what other opinion would one expect from an uneducated boor.
Let's hear another anti-western rant, okay? But this time, try and make it interesting.
MissA:
Shiiiit! I just tried to thumbs up giad for getting 'philosophically bereft' into a sentence in a contextually appropriate setting. And thumbsed up the zombie instead.
Five eighths of sweet f**k all....but it's all relative...how free is America really?
giadrosich:
Not much, but at least I can still stand in front of the Capitol and say any given President sucks if I don't agree with his policies. Try that in Beijing.
lokethebloke:
I can go into Tian.... Square tomorrow and shout as loud as I like that George W Bush is a pillock for declaring a war on an idea.
demand economy 
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A joke I heard from a Chinese tour guide
Bush is being chauffeur driven in the presidential limo when they reach a T intersection. The driver asks which way to turn and Bush says right
Hu Jintao is being driven in the Chinese presidential limo and they come to the same intersection and Hu says turn right but put the left turn indicator on.
Perhaps this Chinese joke is a comedy version of Orwell's Animal Farm where in the end the pigs are no different (maybe even worse because they are animals too) than the man who used to run the farm when it was called Manor Farm. I always hated reading the part where Boxer, the horse, was sold to the knackers - the ultimate betrayal of the workers and common man.
All that's left of communism in China is the one party state and the suppression of differing or threatening views. The Renmin Lu's are still there but in name only
If Mao was alive today, he'd roll over in his grave
lokethebloke:
So sad, but true. Human greed and control will win every time.
mArtiAn:
Yeh, I didn't understand most of that, i'm not up on the history of communism, though I do see the hope of it's basic ideals. Thought that joke was pretty funny though.
Me, I don't see capitalism working too well. The monetary system is a 'beautiful' system of enslavement and I would like to see it done away with. Again though, i'm unlikely to win any arguments that may follow, my wishes in this regard are born from watching the 'Zeitgeist' series of movies. MTV generation, even at 44. Kind of sad really.
Like the name by the way. John Lennon fan?
