[Marxism] China & Marxmail

[Walter Lippmann]

Marxmail hears incessantly that China is capitalist. This line is laid down
and repeated stridently, and no exceptions to the line are permitted to
go without the sharpest assault from the highest authority. Unsurprisingly
the recent earthquake in China has become yet another occasion for China-
bashing from some voices in the name of Marxism. The use of such terms as
"lower class" to describe whosein China who've lost children due to the
shoddy construction of schools is an indication of the author's attitude.

No nuanced idea that a mixture of the positive and negative are allowed
to be presented without the sharpest attack. In fact, a quite unusual,
quite distinct social, political and economic process is going on in the
PRC, which should be understood rather than subjected to and incessant
revilement its perfectionistic critics. No, there is nothing positive
about the earthquake itself, which is a phenomenon of nature and could
not have been prevented in any case. But we can look at the response of
the Chinese government, and of Chinese people all over the world and
get a glimpse at the impact the quake has had both domestically and
internationally. Unlike the United States, where the regime in the
nation's capital took a hands-off approach toward Hurricane Katrina,
the Chinese government has mobilized its national army to respond to
the Chengu quake. Fortunately for the Chinese people, there are no
Chinese soldiers fighting shooting wars around the world trying to
crush the resistance of occupied peoples.

China today is the first time in history where a country so large which
saw a socialist revolution, decided to utilize capitalist methods to such
effect that the country has evolved into a power of international influence
economically, socially and politically. And today China is an independent
country, not the dependent colony it was prior to the revolution. Paying
such a high price has been one of the consequences. That can't be denied,
and no one here has denied that price. China today is MORE independent
than it was under Mao and before the capitalistic reforms inaugurated
under Deng because it's so much bigger a factor economically, socially,
politically and, increasingly militarily. Overseas Chinese who had often
taken a rightist oppositional stance are increasingly drawn toward their
country of origin, or of the origin of their parents and relatives. 

Cuba has also managed to retain its independence, but Cuba has also paid
quite a high price to retain its independence. Already the Cubans are 
being subjected to criticism by perfectionistic critics, of which the
Woods tendency is but one of the more prominent examples. Most of the
political left has begun to criticize the Cubans for the discussion of
possible changes on the island which seem to stoke critical nervousness.

The Woods group have already decided that they're against Raul and for
Fidel, all the odder now that Fidel has stepped aside to broaden out the
Revolution's leadership. For most of the Cuban Revolution's history the
Woods tendency favored the overthrow of the Cuban government in what it
referred to as a political revolution. A few years ago the Woods group
changed its line and decided that Fidel had become an obstacle to the
restoration of capitalism, and so they began to get interested in the
island, and to do some political work there. Some of it was good work
and the Cubans facilitated that as well. The CUBANS aren't sectarian.

They can and will work with anyone who helps them to retain their own
national independence. I'm only mentioning the Woods tendency since
they've written more and been more active around Cuba, but most of
the other, similarly-minded perfectionists take the same increasingly
restless approach of Comrade Nancy Reagan, they "Just say no."

Russia, which really HAS become a capitalist country, also retains its
independence, though it's reduced in influence because it's previous
weight, as a multi-national entity, has been cut down. So Russia has
has drawn closer to both China and Cuba. For some unexplained reason, 
Russia isn't subjected to the barrage of critical messages on Marxmail 
that China is getting and Cuba, it seems increasingly going to get.

It's this national question, unresolved in so many places, and which
is an issue (not THE issue) in Washington's endless war against the
world today, which is so central to an understanding of the Chinese
phenomenon. Some want desperately to get past this pesky nationalist
stuff, but it won't go away. That's exactly what the recently formed
Latin American union spiearheaded by Brazil also represents. It's the
national question on a continental scale.

Gerald Horne has been explaining this in the pages of POLITICAL AFFAIRS
for years, and now in a nice new collection of essays, BLOWS AGAINST
THE EMPIRE, published by International, which I'd like to recommend.
Here's one of his essays on China for those who'd like to know more:
http://www.walterlippmann.com/docs1340.html


Walter Lippmann
Los Angeles, California
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GRANMA
May 28, 2008

Fidel Castro Sends Message to Chinese Hospital

CHENGDU, China, May 27 (PL.)— Fidel Castro sent a message to Hospital No. 1
in Chengdu, Sichuan on Tuesday stating that they can count on the services
of the Cuban medical brigade as long as necessary.

Dr. Jose Rodriguez, who heads the Cuban brigade assisting earthquake victims
in Sichuan, delivered the message from the Cuban leader to hospital director
Li Yuan Feng.

Fidel told the hospital authorities that Cuba has more well trained medical
personnel eager to help the sister nation of China in the Chengdu region if
the Chinese government wishes.

The 35-member group of doctors and paramedics arrived to China on May 23.
Dr. Rodriguez thanked Dr. Li for the welcoming and attention received by the
Cuban personnel.

The hospital where the Cubans are working is the largest in the province of
90 million inhabitants and is considered one of the 30 best in the country.

Dr. Rodriguez said that the group is ready to remain as long as necessary
and to work anywhere and under any conditions.

Li Yuan Feng thanked Cuba and its leaders for their assistance in this
difficult situation after the devastating earthquake and said he would see
that Fidel’s message reached the country’s top authorities.

The hospital director also highlighted the excellent relations and historic
bonds between China and Cuba which he said have especially been expressed
during difficult times.

Li recalled that during his visit to the hospital on Saturday, Prime
Minister Wen Jiabao had expressed the feeling of all Chinese in thanking
Cuba and asking for the brigade members to be cared for.
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LOUIS PROYECT explains:
I don't quite understand your logic here. Have I ignored subsequent 
discussion on China? When I posted an article the other day about 10,000 
schoolchildren from lower-class families losing their lives because 
their schoolhouses were constructed without regard to protection against 
earthquakes, you should have jumped in and argued on behalf of the 
Chinese government's policy. I imagine that there must have been some 
Marxist explanation for these deaths in a higher dialectical sense.

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     WALTER LIPPMANN
     Los Angeles, California
     Editor-in-Chief, CubaNews
     http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CubaNews/
     "Cuba - Un Paraíso bajo el bloqueo"
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