Examining Chinese Political Theories Part 3 - Deng Xiaoping Theories

What Mao Zedong's thoughts fail to address was the nation building. This was successfully dealt with by Deng Xiaoping's Theory in spite of many negative social and economic consequences that accompanied it.

Deng's emphasis on economic construction and stability is guided by the streetwise pragmatism which sometimes going into the extreme justifying the end by the means. To him, it doesn't matter whether the white cat or the black cat cathes the mice, whoever catches the mice is the good cat. What happens with Deng's theory in practice is that the cat that catches the mice has in the process broke a vase and dirty the carpet.

If Mao's thought is revolutionary, Deng's theory is evolutionary. Deng didn't attempt any dramatic change until he experimented it in a smaller scale. To quote him, he was always seeking truth from the fact. Under Deng's theory, we see the setting up of the special economic zone as well as special administrative region. All these are incrementalist in approach. It is cautious and careful yet cretaing tremendously stability in a country long besieged by poverty.

Under this steady stewardship, the productive force was unleashed and we witness 30 years of peace and increasing prosperity since 1979. In this period, Chinese peoples enjoy unprecedented increase in income as well as greater personal liberty. Expansion of political rights was flirted in early 1980s but it sufferred a disastrous stall following the Tiananmen incident. Deng's theory doesn't accommodate radical changes and this was the reason why the student movement failed.

Deng's theory is called the socialism with chinese characteristic. This is again showing consistently the continuous pattern of successive Chinese political leaders and thinkers to reject the wholesale importation of foreign political doctrines. From the constitutional perspective, Deng's theory is somewhat made more interesting with his ingenious creation of the one country and two systems concept to secure the return of Hong Kong and Macao from their colonial masters. The truth of the matter is that the one country two systems is a diluted form of federation. In this regards, Deng repeatedly show his touch of pragmatism to accommodate different political aspiration from that in the mainland. It is to be noted that Taiwan under Lee and Chen's administration has rejected this offer whereas it seems that the exile Tibetan government is willing to embrace it. Whether it will evolve as the blueprint for a less centralized government is yet to be seen but is not impossible given the incrementalist approach of Deng's theory.

By far and large, Deng's theory is centred at national construction and not national foundation. Deng theory didn't deal with constitutional issues and was happy to tribute to the four cardinal principles in upholding socialist path, people democratic dictatorship, CPC rule and the Marxist-Leninist-Maoist thoughts. This is, in my opinion, largely due to the timing. To quote him, he is crossing the river by touching the stone, which implies taking one step at a time and the step required would have to be left to the future generation. To his admirers, Deng's theory in empirical experimentation allows inclusion of new ideas for further reform.