Less ideology, more compassion, please!

Though Beijing is trying hard to promote Buddhism abroad (particularly in Lumbini, Nepal or in Nalanda), the leadership in Beijing does not seem aware of the Words of the Buddha: "As the wise test gold by burning, cutting and rubbing it on a piece of touchstone, so are you to accept my words only after examining them and not merely out of regard for me."
On the contrary, Beijing is trying to force Marxist ideology in the throats of the Chinese people without "burning, cutting and rubbing it on a piece of touchstone".
This article in the Red Flag Manuscript affirms: "We must fully recognize the extreme importance of ideology work, always adhere to Marxism’s guiding position in the ideology field, always remain clear and firm in our thinking and political activities, and prevent influence and interference from all kinds of wrong ideas."
But 'ideology' will not solve the problems of China. 
The Communist regime has been trying for the past 60 years to use 'ideology' to give a direction to the Middle Kingdom, but China has only been successful in the fields where she was able to put ideology behind.
Ideology has never helped to solve the practical problems of the masses:  last year only China has witnessed more than 1,20,000 riots/unrests.
The Chinese people want something more concrete and more human than ideology.
In the meantime, it was confirmed that two Tibetan died after security forces opened fire on protesters on 24 January at Serta County in Kardze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture (Sichuan Province).
Some 10 Tibetans were seriously injured and some 40 others have been arrested. Over 300 Tibetans gathered and shouted slogans calling for the return of the Dalai Lama and Tibetan freedom. Later, a large number of security forces arrived on the scene and started beating and kicking the protesters.
Let us hope that the new leadership, to be chosen at the end of the year, will use less ideology and repression, but more compassion.

Red Flag Manuscript: Watch Out for the West’s Infiltration and Sabotage in the Arena of Ideology

[Editor’s Note: Red Flag Manuscript published an article on the importance of safeguarding China’s ideology. [1] The author, Zheng Weiping, Director of the Political Department of Guangzhou Military Region, argued that “It has always been the core mission of each country and political (ruling) party to fight for the discourse power in ideology and be proactive in safeguarding the nation’s ideology.” Zheng stated that China should adhere to its Marxist ideology and socialist path and be fully alert to the West’s infiltration and attempts to overthrow the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP’s) leadership. The following is an excerpt from the article.]

Ideology is an important issue that is directly related to core national interests, national security, and development. It has always been the core mission of each country and political (ruling) party to fight for the discourse power in ideology and be proactive in safeguarding the nation’s ideology. Given the current complex international and domestic situation, a correct understanding and a proper response to the challenges in the arena of ideology are major practical issues for us.

I. Consciously Adhere to the Marxist Ideology

The Marxist theory of ideology is a sharp weapon for us to use in our ideology work. To have a comprehensive and systematic understanding of the Marxist theory of ideology, one must deeply comprehend its basic ideas: First, the mode of production of material determines the nature of ideology. ... Second, ideology is based on an interpretation of the real world. Politics, law, morality, art, philosophy, religion, and other ideas form the ideological superstructure which includes ideals, beliefs, values, and other important spiritual notions. These, in turn, affect and restrict people's values and spiritual life. Third, class is the essential characteristic of ideology. … Fourth, ideology is the thought system of the dominant social class. ... Fifth, ideology must not only interpret the world, but also transform the world. ... Sixth, the core value system is the soul of ideology. Ideologies are built around the core value system of a social class and social group. … The battles among ideologies are basically clashes between the core value systems. These Marxist concepts of ideology are the guidelines for our work in the arena of ideology.

II. Accurately Grasp the Nature of Socialist Ideology with Chinese Characteristics

Marxism is the soul of socialist ideology with Chinese characteristics. ...

The common goal of socialism with Chinese characteristics is the subject of socialist ideology with Chinese characteristics. ...

The national spirit with patriotism as its core and the spirit of the times with reform and innovation as their core are the essence of the socialist ideology with Chinese characteristics.

III. Deeply Recognize the Complex Situation in the Arena of Ideology

First, in the context of economic globalization, the struggle between ideologies has become more intense and complex. Specific manifestations are:

1) The main ideological struggle has not changed. Since the socialist system was established, Western capitalism has committed to peaceful evolution and Westernization. Its attempt to constrain and strangle socialism has never changed. The main ideological struggle between socialism and capitalism still revolves around who will defeat the other.

2) The pattern of ideological struggle is more complex. There are mainstream conflicts between capitalism and socialism, non-mainstream ideological debates that impact political and social values, and ideological differences that stem from ethnic, religious, sovereignty, and territorial disputes. Different ideologies confront, penetrate, and influence each other, making the ideological struggle more complex.

3) The ideological struggle has entered into more areas. It is not limited to the ideological and cultural fields, but also permeates politics, economics, technology, the military, international relations, and other fields. It has also become more popular in the areas of culture, academics, and life in general. Ideology’s appearance and essence are more and more separated from each other, but its impact has become more and more lasting and strong.

4) Ideology plays a more obvious role in international strategic battles these days. The U.S.-led Western countries implement their ideological strategy, encouraging and supporting so-called "color revolutions," which are, in fact, the Western-styled "democratic reform" to change other countries. On the surface, the struggle between maintaining and changing the regime in a targeted country looks like non-violent revolution and political action carried out in the streets by the locals, but actually it is the West’s ideological hegemony that plays a leading role behind it. The recent "Rose Revolution," "Orange Revolution," and "Jasmine Revolution" are examples.

Second, Western countries have strengthened their efforts to infiltrate and sabotage our ideology. The U.S.-led Western countries do not want to see a strong socialist China. They attempt to use their Westernization and separation strategy to drastically change China, just as they did to the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe. They have deliberately intensified political pressure, stepped up economic development constraints, continued to demonize us, and ideologically and culturally infiltrated us, using more diverse means and higher technology. It is more and more difficult for us to fend them off and respond to them.

For example, they push ideological hegemony under the banner of Western freedom, democracy, and human rights; they promote the multi-party system and a separation of powers; they attack our political system, maliciously stir up discussions of social hot issues, incite separation using ethnic and religious issues, support "dissidents" to challenge our political bottom line, deny the party's leadership in the name of "restoring history" and "reforming by reflecting,” strengthen ideological and cultural infiltration, and sabotage our country by using their advantage in network technology. Overall, they effect ideological infiltration and sabotage by taking capitalist values as the core ideological export content, stirring up discussions on sensitive issues, penetrating to and competing for the grassroots level, using "dissidents" and “opinion leaders" as their supporters, forging collusion between internal and external forces, targeting the military, and taking the Internet and mobile phones as a key battlefield.

The reality shows that the complexity and sharp struggle in the ideological field do not change based on our will. The struggle is a contest between the socialist and capitalist value systems. The hostile forces’ fundamental goal is to overthrow the CCP’s leadership and subvert our country's socialist system.

Third, one cannot ignore the impact that the complicated struggle in the ideological field has on our society.

IV. Fighting the Ideological Battle Proactively

Ideology work is related to the Party’s and the country’s overall work, the steady development of socialism with Chinese characteristics, social harmony, and the stability of the nation. We must fully recognize the extreme importance of ideology work, always adhere to Marxism’s guiding position in the ideology field, always remain clear and firm in our thinking and political activities, and prevent influence and interference from all kinds of wrong ideas. At present, we should utilize mainstream media, the Internet, mobile phones, and other new media to build a modern communications system with wide coverage and advanced technology, strengthen and improve our leadership over ideology work, and improve our ability to establish ideology.

[1] Red Flag Manuscript, “Properly Deal with the Challenges in the Arena of Ideology,” November 29, 2011.
http://www.qstheory.cn/hqwg/2011/201122/201111/t20111129_126348.htm.

Leadership’s control of thought is the most important

The Chinese Communist Party lives in another world or in another time.
The ideologues still dreams of a Great Socialist Revolution. They quote Comrade Mao: "the leadership’s control of thought is the most important leadership control."
The author of this article translated by Chinascope tells us: "Our Party has attached great importance to strengthening its position as the sole leader in the field of ideology ...For the Party to lead politically in the field of ideology, it must use the scientific theory of Marxism and the Party's strategies, principles, and policies to guide the development of socialist ideology; for the Party to maintain its leadership over thoughts in the field of ideology, it must vigorously promote socialist ideology, resist and criticize all erroneous thoughts, and ensure that socialist ideology gradually occupies the entire field of ideology."
The question is what is 'socialist ideology' in practice?
The Wall Street Journal recently reported about Chinese princelings: 

One evening early this year, a red Ferrari pulled up at the U.S. ambassador's residence in Beijing, and the son of one of China's top leaders stepped out, dressed in a tuxedo. Bo Guagua, 23, was expected. He had a dinner appointment with a daughter of the then-ambassador, Jon Huntsman.
The car, though, was a surprise. The driver's father, Bo Xilai, was in the midst of a controversial campaign to revive the spirit of Mao Zedong through mass renditions of old revolutionary anthems, known as "red singing." He had ordered students and officials to work stints on farms to reconnect with the countryside. His son, meanwhile, was driving a car worth hundreds of thousands of dollars and as red as the Chinese flag, in a country where the average household income last year was about $3,300.

This is probably was is known as 'socialism with Chinese characteristics'. 
Whether or not, Bo Xilai is be able to make it to the Standing Committee of the Politburo (one of the nine bosses of China) in 2012, the problem will remain the same. 
As we have seen in my previous posting, China is in turmoil and it is not ideology that will convince the people of China that their leaders are not sincere.
It is like in India, ministers exploiting mines in Jharkand, Goa or Karnataka, telling the people: "Anna Hazare is not representing the people. We are the legitimate representatives".
Who believes them?

Maintaining Tight Control over Ideology    
22 November 2011
Chinascope
[Editor’s Note: Qiushi Journal republished an article from the Contemporary World and Socialism magazine on the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP’s) control over ideology work, which includes establishing, deciding on, shaping, and disseminating ideology. [1] The author, Wang Yonggui, is a scholar at the School of Marxist Studies at Nanjing Normal University. In the article, Wang stressed that the Party’s control over ideology “cannot be loosened for a single moment” and that “strengthening the Party’s sole leadership over work in ideology is an important weapon for the CCP’s success.” The following are excerpts from the article.]

I. Emphasizing the Strategic Importance of Ideology Work and Tightly Controlling Its Direction
Managing ideology work has always been a very important function for our Party. Missteps in managing the economy will cause big problems. Missteps in managing ideology will also cause big problems. Therefore, we should not slacken in our work on ideology while focusing on economic development. Strengthening the Party’s sole leadership over ideology, firmly controlling the direction of that ideology, and strengthening our motivation and foresight are important magic weapons for our continued victories.

1. Establish a central standing organization and strengthen the Party's control over ideology. Back when the Chinese Communist Party was first established in 1921, our Party created a propaganda agency responsible for propaganda and agitation and for promoting revolutionary development. After the Sixth CCP Congress, the Central Propaganda Department became a permanent branch (of the government) and assumed its responsibilities and functions as the supreme organization for propaganda, for the education of the whole country, and for the political thought education of CCP cadres and the general public. In July 1942, Comrade Mao Zedong stressed that "the leadership’s control of thought is the most important leadership control."

2. Strengthen the development of the CCP organization and consolidate the Party's leadership over ideology. Our Party has attached great importance to strengthening its position as the sole leader in the field of ideology, which has been achieved mainly through the Party's political leadership, leadership over thoughts, and its organizational leadership. For the Party to lead politically in the field of ideology, it must use the scientific theory of Marxism and the Party's strategies, principles, and policies to guide the development of socialist ideology; for the Party to maintain its leadership over thoughts in the field of ideology, it must vigorously promote socialist ideology, resist and criticize all erroneous thoughts, and ensure that socialist ideology gradually occupies the entire field of ideology; for the Party to execute its organizational leadership  in the field of ideology, it must establish Party organizations in all ideology sectors. These organizations will be responsible for publicizing and implementing the Party's strategies, principles, and policies, especially the establishment of the propaganda departments from the central to the local Party committees at all levels. …
Because of the extreme importance of ideology, we must regard the improvement of the CCP’s ability to lead in ideology as the keystone to improving our ability as a ruling Party, and we must firmly control the Party’s leadership over ideology. This is the key to maintaining the invincible position of our Party and our socialist cause.

II. Responding to Confrontation between Ideologies and Scientifically Controlling the Correct Direction of the Development of Ideology
We must carry out a clear-cut battle between the two opposing ideologies (socialist ideology vs. the capitalist ideology) to provide a powerful guarantee that the direction of our reform and opening-up policy will be correct. Since the reform and opening-up, our Party has attached great importance to the confrontation and struggle between ideologies, actively responded to domestic and overseas challenges, and scientifically led in the development of ideology. Deng Xiaoping stressed that "liberalization itself is bourgeois; there is no such thing as proletarian or socialist liberalization. ... Promoting liberalization will lead us to the capitalist path." This suggested that fighting bourgeois liberalization is a long-term task. … Since the beginning of the 21st century, in responding to some erroneous thoughts and views questioning the current reform and the Party's basic policies, the Central Propaganda Department and other departments have edited “The Six Whys - the Answers to Several Major Issues," "Seven ‘How to Understand,’" and the "Learning Guide on Drawing ‘Four Major Boundaries’" to help cadres and the general public clarify some major issues and consciously resist the infiltration of erroneous ideas.

III. Actively Moving the Development of Ideology Forward with Innovative Styles and Methods
We should use propaganda, education, and scientific indoctrination to enhance the attractiveness and fighting power of Marxism-Leninism. Lenin once pointed out that, in the course of the proletarian revolutionary struggle, "socialist consciousness is something instilled from outside of the proletarian class struggle, rather than spontaneously generated from the struggle itself." Using Lenin's "concept of indoctrination" as our guide, our Party has actively promoted positive education, vigorously disseminated Marxism and the theory of the new democratic revolution, and strongly accelerated the process of democratic revolution.

IV. Consolidating the Social Foundation for Developing Ideology
We need to combine the sole leadership over socialist ideology with the concept of the diversity of cultural development. Since the reform and opening up, the development of social thoughts has been very active, and social consciousness has become diversified. This requires us to handle the relationship between the sole leadership over socialist ideology and the diversity of cultural values.
We should combine the development of socialist ideology with our efforts to expand the opening-up and development of the socialist market economy. Since the reform and opening-up began, we have adhered to the development of socialist ideology. At the same time we also expanded the opening-up and development of the market economy. As a whole, we correctly handled the relationship between the development of ideology and the expansion of the policy of opening-up and developing the socialist market economy. In fact, we prevented the ideology "centralization" and "enforcement" theories, and also paid attention to guarding against the ideology "useless" and "dilution" theories.
In all, since the establishment of the CCP 90 years ago, our experience and history in controlling  ideology tells us that the strategic position and function of managing ideology should not be neglected and that the Party's leadership over ideology cannot be relaxed. We must unswervingly adhere to Marxism as our guide in the field of ideology and scientifically educate and correctly guide the changes in people's moral and value systems.

Source: Qiushi Journal, “The Chinese Communist Party’s 90 Years of Experiences in Managing Ideology Work,” September 5, 2011.
http://www.qstheory.cn/zz/zgtsshzyll/201109/t20110906_108391.htm.

Yes, China is Communist

The Indian Communists are scratching their heads: is the People's Republic of China a Communist State? Is the Chinese Communist Party communist or capitalist?
This is  valid question.
The problem of the Indian Communists is that they don't read the Chinese press, they could find an answer.
On November 7, 2011, Study Times, a journal of the Party School of the Central Committee of the CCP, published an article discussing the benefits of China’s foreign policy initiated by Deng Xiaoping. He had proposed: to “hide our capabilities and bide our time.” 
The article explained: “After China started its economic reforms and opened to the world, China stopped using its (Communist) ideological standards to deal with other countries. This has successfully reversed the diplomatic situation, which has been unfavorable to China.”
Even China’s foreign policy is to “hide the (Communist) ideology and modernize China according to its plans while other countries are in chaos.”
The article concluded that the foreign policy “hide our capabilities and bide our time” is very important and necessary when China is in the process of integrating into the international system: “To create a favorable international environment to develop our domestic economy, we should continue to hide our (Communist) ideology so as to minimize the differences (in particular between the U.S. and China).”
Chinascope, the website which published the translation, gives the historical background: “Hide one’s capabilities and bide one’s time” or “Hide one’s ambitions and disguise one’s claws”, comes from a well-known Chinese historical novel, 'The Three Kingdoms' based on real stories from the end of the Han Dynasty (25 AD-220 AD) to the Three Kingdoms era (220 AD- 280 AD) of Chinese history. The kings of the Three Kingdoms were Cao Cao, Liu Bei and Sun Quan. When Liu Bei was seeking refuge in Cao Cao’s territory, he was afraid that Cao Cao would kill him if he did not hide his ambition to unite the whole nation and become king. By working hard in his backyard vegetable garden every day and pretending to be cowardly, he successfully misled Cao Cao, who no long viewed Liu as a competitor. Liu Bei’s strategy was called “hide one’s ambitions and disguise one’s claws”.
The answer to the question of the Indian Comrades is therefore: "Yes, China is Communist today, but it is hiding it".
Well, hiding it, not so well.
In Beijing's recent elections, several independent candidates ran to be nominated as representative to the People's Congress. An article is Chinacope said: "however, the Chinese authorities prevented their nomination. Many found their names had been eliminated from the final list of candidates. On November 8, when the election results for the nomination to the People's Congress in Beijing came in, only the names the government authorities chose appeared. No independent candidates made the list."
Ms. Wu Qing, a professor from Beijing Foreign Language University, told Voice of America: "University students received tremendous pressure from the university authorities. There were security personnel, secret police, the regular police, and people from my neighborhood at the university. Many students felt unprecedented pressure... The hidden guidelines from the authorities insured that the candidates recommended by the grass roots masses would never make it to the final nomination list."
Does the CPI want to keep emulating the CCP? 
They will have to decide.


Finally, Left finds it right to debate merits of China model
DNA / Satarupa Bhattacharjya
November 11, 2011
For the first time in many years, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) will debate whether the Chinese model of socialism - an inspiration for many in the Indian Left - is the “right” way of achieving an equitable society.
Attempting to review the party’s ideological approach will be its central committee of 80-plus members at a conference of two days and a half, beginning on Friday at the party headquarters, AKG Bhawan here.
“The party never felt the urgent need to really debate this issue as it is feeling now, following the West Bengal debacle,” a source in the CPI(M) told the DNA on Thursday.
Former Bengal chief minister and politburo member Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee is unlikely to attend the central committee meeting as has been his practice (with outstation meetings) since the Left’s historic rout in that state in May.
The CPI(M) last held a serious ideological debate in 1968 in Bengal’s Burdhwan district after the Naxalbari uprising the year earlier. The choice then before Indian Communists was to either emulate the erstwhile Soviet Union or China.
Since then, although the CPI(M) claimed to have aligned with neither model completely, instead seeking to evolve an Indian view peppered with realities of caste and religion, the party’s stagnation in West Bengal seemed to have busted the long-held myth.
“We need new ideas to take the party forward. We need the youth to join us and we need to be seen to be one with the masses,” the party source said.
The source said according to reports from state committees, the CPI(M)’s “look East” policy in West Bengal, eyeing China’s development among other nations in south-east Asia, seemed to have propelled the Left government to pursue “reforms” at the cost of “human emotions.”
“What are minimum wages for workers in China? That country’s need to increase productivity has turned it into a capitalist economy controlled by the State instead of market forces,” the source said adding such questions are likely to be raised at the Central Committee meeting.
Once the debate is initiated in the weekend, the CPI(M) politburo will review a draft ideological resolution in December. The draft will to be presented for adoption at the party congress in Calicut in April 2012.
At a time when the Indian Left is desperate to gain lost ground in politics, presenting India’s multi-ethnic, multi-party democracy as a differing option to the Chinese story may be a tactical move. But not everyone within the CPI(M) appears to be convinced, Bhattacharjee for one.
http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_finally-left-finds-it-right-to-debate-merits-of-china-model_1610746-al