Commentary: China's ongoing cultural revolution

By Chang Chuan-fong
Column: China Crosswinds

Published: July 18, 2007

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Taipei, Taiwan — The concept of cultural revolution in China is generally linked to the disastrous 10-year Cultural Revolution from 1966-1976. That, in fact, was a political revolution centered on Mao Zedong with the purpose of reclaiming power from President Liu Shaoqi. In other words, it was a political power struggle. "Culture" was used to justify this conflict in line with the communist philosophy of history, which mandates a struggle between "upper level forces," or culture, and "lower level forces," or economic production.

Through the Cultural Revolution Mao gained full political authority. After his death his wife Jiang Qing was arrested, along with three other leaders of the "Gang of Four," and blamed for the excesses of that campaign. The cost of the Cultural Revolution was that China's formal education system and traditional culture were both seriously damaged.

In later years, Deng Xiaoping and Hu Jintao each launched their own quiet "cultural revolution," targeting communist thought and culture. Deng Xiaoping's policy of economic opening allowed the growth of a capitalist market economy and private property, contradicting the communist idea that state confiscation of private property would liberate productive capacity. His measures greatly improved productivity and established a new goal for Chinese society -- to become economically prosperous.

The "cultural revolution" led by Deng Xiaoping achieved great success in overturning communist economic theory, and enabled China to attain today's economic prosperity, which has astonished the whole world. In addition, his policies saved China from the fate of the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe in 1989-1991, as these countries faced economic collapse due to dead-end socialist economics. Economic development has been good for the Chinese people without doubt.

Today, President Hu Jintao has again launched a new "cultural revolution" aimed at promoting a "harmonious society." This revolution is also about abandoning the fundamental theories of conflict embedded in Marxism and communism. Hu has stealthily removed some of Marx's ideas, which are not productive or beneficial to China or the world, and replaced them with theories of harmony, which accord with human nature and have been welcomed by the Chinese people.

This is a correct step for a politician who seeks to serve the people's welfare. The harmonious society policy should be affirmed, assisted and supported, in order to bring harmony within China and eventually contribute to harmony in the world.

This is a necessary step in China's pursuit of a "peaceful rise" on the world stage. By extension, the harmonious society must abandon the use of military force to resolve conflicts. This would be most welcomed by the people of China and especially the people of Taiwan.

There is yet another "cultural revolution" waiting to be implemented in China by Hu Jintao or his successor. That is to open China to religious freedom and allow the culture of godliness to enter every corner of China. This will help resolve many of China's endemic problems and conflicts. If a God-centered culture is integrated with China's traditional family-centered culture, the result could be a new culture that would uplift China and prepare it for a leading role in the world.

Leaving behind the communist way of conflict and elevating the traditional Chinese way of family and harmony can lead to a new enlightened philosophy that will benefit all humanity -- the way of the God-centered family.

(Dr. Chang Chuan-fong is Asia director of the International Educational Foundation and former associate professor in the Department of Education at Minghsin University of Science and Technology, Taiwan. ©Copyright Chang Chuan-fong.)