Chinese vs. Russian Communism: Which was more Marxist?
While Soviet and Chinese communism were both rooted in the ideas of Marxism, neither one of them was an accurate representation of true Marxism. In comparing the two different systems, we see that there are many differences between the Soviet idea of communism and the Chinese idea of communism. The first difference between these two systems has to do with the Land distribution. In the Soviet system, land was organized by collectivization. Stalin replaced the old system on private peasant farming with "collective farms" (kolkhozy) and "state farms" (sovkhozy), where peasants would work for the greater good of the proletariat under strict party supervision. In China on the other had, they had a social obligation where there was a goal set by the government, and any surplus product that the farmers made, they were allowed to use as they wanted. This system gives farmers incentive to produce more than the set goal for their own personal gain. Another difference has to do with the urban workers. In Russia there was forced urbanization when Stalin made people move to the cities. In China on the other hand, Mao's support was rural based, and people were kept out of the cities. Societal evolution is the next ground on which we see a main
However, because of the contradiction here, this is not usually possible, yet at the same time, both the Chinese and the Soviets were motivated in the same direction concerning technology at this time. In China however, societal evolution was politically driven because the Communist leaders thought that they had say in development. This system is closer to Marxism than the Chinese system because the revolt in China was of the peasant class. During this time Russia was churning out scientists, mathematicians, playwrights, etc. The reform in the Soviet Union was a political reform, whereas the Chinese reform was completely economical and was characterized by the "Great Leap Forward". The elite class was different in these two countries as well. In addition, in both the Chinese and the Soviet systems, politics were party dominated, and in essence both systems were led by terror of totalitarian governments. In the Soviet Union, there was a flourishing of the elite. Also, the state in the Soviet Union was used as the mechanism whereby economy and society are organized. In China, four classes as well as non-communist parties were allowed to coexist, while in Russia only one class and party was permitted. Another reason why the Soviet system was more justified in claiming to be Marxist has to do with Marx's claim that he knows, with scientific certainty, that Capitalism is oppressive, that communism is inevitable, and that Communism will be an ideal society. Technology in the Soviet Union was initially technology driven, but there was no modernizing afterwards. In my opinion, neither China nor the Soviet Union actually represents Marxism, but if one needed to be chosen, the Soviet Union model seems to more closely resemble true Marxism. Secondly, Lenin says that the movement must be led instead by Marxist intellectuals devoted at all times to revolutionary activity.
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