The theory of transition in China : the thought of Liu Shaoqi.

摘要

Liu Shaoqi, the Chairman of the People's Republic from 1959 to 1968. had audcoherent set of theories of transition which was distinctive from Maoism. Liu's theoryudresembled state capitalism, and the theory of transition of Nikolai Bukharin and Lenin,udwho believed that as long as the major industries were in the hands of the proletariat,udthe existence of a limited market economy and the retention of private ownershipudwould not hinder a nation's progress towards socialism. Expanding from this principle,udLiu believed that if the proletariat were in a ruling position, the purge of theudbourgeoisie was not necessary as they could be educated and transformed intoudsocialists. Therefore, Liu disliked class struggle, and did not see the ideologicaludfractions within the Party as a threat to the central authority. The bottom line is that ifudthe Communists' grip on power had not been challenged, a certain level ofudmultiplicity should be tolerated. He distrusted mass mobilisation, and believed thatudtransition to socialism could only be successful if it was under the guidance of theudParty. As the nation's Chairman who carried out his job as Mao's front man, Liu hadudstill managed to insert his line of thoughts into mainstream politics in disguised form,udthough from time to time he had to succumb to Mao's political power. Most writersudfrom the West would regard Liu as Mao's puppet, particularly in view of hisudinvolvement in the Great Leap; whereas most Chinese writers from the PRC wouldudtry to portray him as the pioneer of market economy in support of China's economicudpolicy. This study aims to show that beneath the facade of Mao's faithful lieutenant,udLiu had been applying his own thoughts of transition in a coherent and defiant manner.