China and Capitalism

China adopted capitalist policies and embraced capitalism especially the United States capitalist investment.

So the myth that China started growing because of its communism and left-wing politics is false.

Equally, communism is not progressive because it is not democratic or free. This is a much more serious problem than many people admit.

Many people have been silenced on this question for they look to Chinese capitalism to be their benefactor. This is a strategic mistake.

Left wing advocates of the Chinese model put on blinds seeking to pretend that Chinese capitalism is Chinese state planning. Chinese capitalism is based on ditching Chinese state 'socialist' planning and substituting a very free market model of capitalism in its place.

I would argue that capitalist take-off is always a very raw process. This is forgotten in the West because Western capitalist is in a very advanced stage of development. The raw stage of West European capitalism happened in the early 19th century and in the USA in the late 19th century. So there is a romantic rosy view of Western capitalism and re-writing of history by right and left ideologists.

Chinese capitalism is capitalism at its most dynamic by lifting all restrictions on capitalist accumulation (specifically through a policy of external investment and free markets at its most blatant through special 'free trade zones' - with its acronym. SEZ -Special Economic Zones). This process unleashed China for economic take-off. It unleashed capitalism in China. Capitalism is a dynamic entity. China's capitalist take-off is one of the most spectacular events in world history, but it is poorly understood. There has been harshness at this stage of Chinese capitalist development - and progressive politics means seeking to put this right.

So Chinese communism is a problem, whereas Chinese capitalism is a success for the world.
Chinese communism is not progressive. At its most basic level, the people are not free to express their grievances. The lack of free speech and democracy has resulted in major injustices in China.

The people have been silenced in the name of Chinese nationalism and by communists turning into capitalists of the worst sort. The first law of capitalism is private property rights. This law protects the poor, but in China the myth of people owning property collectively has been used to deny people any compensation for their land being seized. The Chinese 'Communist-Capitalists' are guilty of this sin. They have robbed poor and helpless people of their lands - all through legal fiction. So change is needed to protect the ordinary people of China and this is part of progressive capitalism - the law is used to protect the people without seeking to stop capitalism as a dynamic system.

So the Chinese model is not the answer. However Chinese capitalism is dynamic now - as English capitalism was during the English Industrial Revolution or USA capitalism was during its rise in the late 19th century. 'Cowboy Capitalism' is my nickname for it. However, English and USA capitalism had created a fierce tradition of free speech that resulted in democracy and progressive capitalism. China does not have this. It is one of the greatest and most difficult challenges for the Chinese and all progressives in the world.