Economic warfare, dressed up by US President Donald Trump as a defence of ‘American’ jobs and industry against unfair competition, is now central to the ...
It’s not that difficult to appreciate that in a capitalist country capital holds sway but in a socialist country its sway is eroded; in fact one could measure how “unadvanced” the dictatorship of the proleteriat is by considering how much capital of individuals they are forced to make a public show of seizing it because it may be a threat to their own democracy (yes even China could be considered in the early stages of socialism). Consider the flip-side; would high taxes against the wealthy in a capitalist country make that country socialist? If not, then consider why not? The true measure of socialism before communism, from this perspective, maybe then how that surplus value is used for the proleteriat, and with a dialectical approach how capitalists could be made useful for the proleteriat state.
I wouldn’t say that capital in China has no sway whatsoever. I’m sure it does. The potential for counter-revolution, coups, backstabbing, or espionage is never not zero.
But the CPC keeps an excellent handle on it, for the most part.
Tangents for those lurking:
It’s not that difficult to appreciate that in a capitalist country capital holds sway but in a socialist country its sway is eroded; in fact one could measure how “unadvanced” the dictatorship of the proleteriat is by considering how much capital of individuals they are forced to make a public show of seizing it because it may be a threat to their own democracy (yes even China could be considered in the early stages of socialism). Consider the flip-side; would high taxes against the wealthy in a capitalist country make that country socialist? If not, then consider why not? The true measure of socialism before communism, from this perspective, maybe then how that surplus value is used for the proleteriat, and with a dialectical approach how capitalists could be made useful for the proleteriat state.
I wouldn’t say that capital in China has no sway whatsoever. I’m sure it does. The potential for counter-revolution, coups, backstabbing, or espionage is never not zero.
But the CPC keeps an excellent handle on it, for the most part.