State and Democracy (was Re: Who Killed Vincent Chin?)

[Daniel F. Vukovich]

At 09:48 PM 1/2/00 -0500, Yoshie wrote:
>
> >I think we agree on the main issues-- the character of the current CCP, and
> >the global if not imperialist pressures and limits placed upon the PRC (not
> >least by themselves), and the likely (horrible) outcome were the CP/state
> >to "wither" away _suddenly_.  But, moreover, we would *not* use this as an
> >argument to legitimate or justify its _unnecessarily_ harsh rule right now,
> >let alone to point to it as a necessary (albeit tragic, etc) path to
> >development under those "special conditions." (Or do we disagree on
> >this  -- I should hope not.)
>
>An objective look at what exists is not the same as an endorsment of it.
>I'd defer to your judgment if you could objectively demonstrate the
>existence of organized social forces who have the strength to overthrow the
>present regime while at the same time resisting imperialist attacks or
>attempts at cooptation.


Well, first off, I think the word "objective" here is either jargon or just 
a joke, and is in general a concept to be a bit wary of.  Doug may or may 
not know less about things PRC than you, but you still havent gotten the 
point in re "options".  There is no either/or situation here, total 
repression or total chaos.   Ive tried to post some reasons why this is so; 
suffice it to say, in another futile waste of time,  that to assume things 
would fall apart overnight, b/c it is so hated, is to reproduce media-think 
(the "legitimacy" -- loosely defined-- of the regime and of the CP is not 
in that bad a shape, i.e., for those benefitting from the reforms 
especially but not solely).   By not seeing any grey here, you end up 
giving way too much credit to the CCP for its alleged "achievements, " just 
as you point to its brutal repressions as sadly necessary (or "objective 
necessity"?!) to preserve the revolution and/or to prevent chaos.   No one, 
anywhere, is talking about revolution or overthrow, with perhaps the 
exception of Wei Jingsheng, and very few ppl see or desire imminent 
collapse.    Therefore I dont know why I, of all ppl, need to identify an 
organized social force to over throw the CP and stave off  Great Game 
Imperialism.  The various crackdowns, incl of the fledgling CDP (demo 
party) and of labor activists, as well as of Uighars, and for that matter 
falun gong, etc.,  the prison labor system, etc are not needed to maintain 
its rule.  (Never mind the economic pogroms on SOEs, the utter 
commodification of VTEs,  the production of landless laborers, etc).   It 
could be a much kinder, gentler CP.    Therefore, we ought to be talking 
about something else, and you are in the wrong problematic.

  Youve no idea how closely your logic mirrors that of the CCP and the bad 
nationalism it relies on (I say "bad" b/c clearly some of it is 
"good").  This isnt guilt by assoc, its more like ignorance of the law is 
no excuse.  In short, you've referred to  "socialist opponents," an 
undifferentiated "Chinese mass" (please beware this kind of diction, as 
there are no Chinese masses), the "blessing of smart & nationalist 
technocrats" (name one?), an "obvious" homology with both Russia and 
Yugoslavia (not Taiwan, Singapore, Hong Kong, Korea, Indonesia in a word 
anything regional?),  un-named "neighbor's problems,"  an 
"obvious"  comparative advantange over India and South Africa (a/c to who?, 
for whom?),  and, again, "Chinese masses including women" whom are 
"relatively well fed and literate" (which must be news to the enormous, 
deracinated, homeless, and jobless populations-- c.f. Michael Dutton on 
this for one).   And yet *none* of this is obvious, and *none* of it 
reflects any kind of study, and on *any* objective account, the rosy 
picture doesnt wash.

Dan


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Daniel F. Vukovich
Dept. of English; The Unit for Criticism
University of Illinois
Urbana, IL 61801
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