Chinese Economic Refrom
Two years after the death of Mao Zedong in 1976, it became apparentto many of China's leaders that economic reform was necessary. During histenure as China's premier, Mao had encouraged social movements such as theGreat Leap Forward and the Cultural Revolution which had had as their basesideologies such as serving the people and maintaining the class struggle.By 1978 "Chinese leaders were searching for a solution to serious economicproblems produced by Hua Guofeng, the man who had succeeded Mao Zedong asCCP leader after Mao's death" (Shirk 35). Hua had demonstrated a desire tocontinue the ideologically based movements of Mao. Unfortunately, thesemovements had left China in a state where "agriculture was stagnant,industrial production was low, and the people's living standards had notincreased in twenty years" (Nathan 200). This last area was particularlytroubling. While "the gross output value of industry and agricultureincreased by 810 percent and national income grew by 420 percent [between1952 and 1980] ... average individual income increased by only 100 percent"(Ma Hong quoted in Shirk 28). However, attempts at economic reform inChina were introduced not only due to s
Moreover, Americananalysts have been amazed to discover in the Shanghai market "the lack ofregulation and the poor disclosure requirements. Even on a day to day basis, China's economic leaders seemunable to understand how some aspects of a market economy work. To be sure, the move toward economic reform came about as a resultof a "changed domestic and international environment, which altered theleadership's perception of the factors that affect China's nationalsecurity and social stability" (Xu 247). Needless to say, that which constituted correct consciousness wasoften determined and assessed by Mao. Inflation isrampant: prices have doubled in the industrial zones in the last fiveyears. The issuance of shares in the Shandong Huaneng PowerDevelopment Company also demonstrates the lack of expertise on the part ofthe Chinese in the modern world market. In this arrangement, Dorn argued, "the state controlsthe bulk of investment resources. In order to become a modern economic state Dornargued for the necessity of circumventing "China's ruling elite who opposethe dismantling of state monopolies and who benefit from price fixing andnonprice rationing" (51). Deng Xiaoping and his allieshoped to effect this 1979 resolution in two ways: by expanding foreigntrade, and by encouraging foreign companies to invest in Chineseenterprises. This policy--denoted the "Open Policy" (Shirk 47)--was adrastic removal from the policies of Mao Zedong and, in fact, fromcenturies of Chinese political culture. At the very least, the strategy appears to show a practical desire on thepart of the government to take control over what could have been a badeconomic situation.
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Acceptance Essays
