Post-Maoism in China: Economic Transition and Policy Reform Under Deng Xiaoping
Overview
This paper examines China's transition from the Maoist era to the post-Mao period under Deng Xiaoping's leadership. It analyzes the introduction of capitalist market reforms, agricultural price increases, and entrepreneurship encouragement, alongside political changes including the abolition of the four great freedoms and establishment of the four cardinal principles.
What this essay covers
- Introduction to post-Maoism era and Deng Xiaoping's rise to power
- China's transition from Maoism to neoliberal market reforms and capitalist economic policies
- Economic improvements including agricultural pricing, worker bonuses, and private entrepreneurship
- Political changes: abolition of four great freedoms and introduction of four cardinal principles
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POST-MAOISM IN CHINA
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Introduction
The post-Maoism era is the period after the rule of Mao. The rise of Deng Xiapong saw with it the introduction of new policies in the country, including capitalism and socialism, to replace communism. These policies led to economic development in China and urban growth. Arguably, the end of the Maoism era brought about economic advancement and urban advancement, which created some challenges for migrating into urban areas.
China’s Transition from the Maoism Era to the Neoliberal Post-Mao Market Reforms
One of the most compelling aspects of China's transition from the Maoism era is capitalism's introduction. Deng encouraged theories such as the "use of capitalist means and methods to attain future socialist ends”[1] . This was a sanctioning derived from Marxist theories. According to this argument, for a society to be genuinely socialist, society must be built first on the foundations of capitalism[2]. Moreover, Mao Zedong had a very dismissive attitude towards the formulas introduced during the eighth congress. He instead preferred class struggle ideology and therefore placed a certain amount of renewed emphasis on it. On the other hand, after Maoism, Den Xiapong decided to bring back the 1956 Eighth congress thesis. This became the most crucial ideological orthodoxy after the Maoism era. Therefore, he gave most of his energy towards developing the country's economy at a rapid rate by all means. This includes the introduction of a capitalist market in the country.