Shang hai - symbol of success of the 'three represents' - belated book review.

The Man Who Changed China:   The Life and Legacy of Jiang Zemin, by Robert Lawrence Kuhn, Crown Books 2004.

Media Photo

By the “Three Represents”, now in the lexicon of Chinese political thought and part of what the P.R.C. constitution preaches at this point, Jiang Zemin, leader of China during much of the Clinton and Bush years in the U.S., provided for P.R.C. pride and Chinese patriotism in his wording of a renewed emphasis on Marxist – Leninist thought, the dogma of Mao Zedong, and additionally Deng Xiao ping political / economic theory.  While the rise of Shang hai as a provincial and commercial capitol in the P.R.C. was important for that country and coincided with the rise of Mr. Jiang (a former mayor of the city of Shang hai) who became the president of the P.R.C.  These primary principles of political and ideological theory as espoused by Mr. Jiang in practice dealt with agenda items like modernizing the military on the mainland, modernizing political and administrative services processes and practices in P.R.C., and an effort to fight corruption in upholding age – old values of the “rule of law” and a spirit of “virtue” that have a long history in Asia under a Confucian tradition and other traditions on the mainland that recall the great historical legacy and rear view the administration has had after the events of Tian An men in 1989 when Mr. Jiang was a general secretary.  Also included in any implementation of Mr. Jiang’s primary political theory were efforts to reform state – owned enterprises (SOE’s), and revamp the P.R.C. financial sector and rural economy, and the overall increasingly successful effort in itself of the Chinese asserting themselves in the world. 

The commercial and business economy of the P.R.C. as of 1989 was still a “planned” economy, though the agenda items of Mr. Jiang obviously, with their rightist tendencies that had become more admissible at the time, facilitated more market – based activities in the country and in areas of P.R.C. influence politically and economically.  This Mr. Jiang called “advancing through the times”, and I believe my quotes are not out of context here, in validation of the socialist market economy on the mainland, domestic and international, in a kind of “capitalism with Chinese characteristics”.  Mr. Jiang, as a trained social scientist and natural scientist made all personal and professional efforts to revitalize the country primarily through simple re – emphasis and validation, again, of science and education, and this without interfering with the overall workings of the country’s establishment, especially the scientific one there.  This was accomplished somewhat by sending young Chinese scientists to the U.S. to pursue college and university educations (in 2002 over 60,000 students of whom more than 50,000 returned home at the end of their educational terms).  Mr. Jiang, despite being a scientist and engineering type, among the elite in his own state, in his public emphasis upon bringing up the country using his own methods, called for, validated and greatly lauded achievements among the greater populace in carrying out his principles and their practices.  

The time of Mr. Jiang as president of P.R.C. saw pretty much the end of “state means of production” and “dictatorship of the proletariat” as well, though not primarily so, the “each according to his ability and each according to his need” – type civic governance so ridden with vice and corruption as it had been for years on the mainland, and ridden as well with other discouraging tendencies emphasizing the class struggle.  These new principles in practice also meant the end of the overall leviathan power of industrial development and a new primacy recognizing the information age.  In this, Mr. Jiang demonstrated missionary and fanatical zeal, especially concerning the outdated workings of the communist party and how masses of people were treated by the system on the mainland.  These extremely successful efforts, probably the result of many other reforms besides the three basic principles above, and much more administrative and other work than meets the eye here, are reified in what many see today, citizens and tourists alike in P.R.C., as the achievements of the rebuilding, renewal and modernization of the city of Shang hai without interference or any cancelling out of influences of places in P.R.C. like Nan jing, Hong Kong, Guan dong, Bei jing and so forth. 

It is also very important to know that the “Three Represents” comprise not just old and simple ideas as dressed up for modernity.  These principles are communist ideas made to address new concerns of Marxist – Leninist ideology in advancing the productivity, status and dynamism and building up of a material civilization of this managed economy (no longer referred to, for example, as a non – market economy).  The obverse of the Cultural Revolution, intended at the time to discourage intellectuals, these three new edicts call upon innovators, entrepreneurs, and intellectuals now in the vanguard of a “new society” as primary sources for building up the country.  The text goes into considerable detail about how the implementation of these principles worked and much of the language behind them, especially the new de – emphasis of the party role vis – a – vis the masses (primarily industrial workers and farmers), that encompasses the party and the populace on all levels.  Much of this new doctrine was criticized in P.R.C. from the left as ideological ‘pollution’, and as a result was only really established as Mr. Jiang recently left office.  The movement itself is encapsulated in five primary public speeches by Mr. Jiang during the time 1978 – 2001 that illustrated the objectives of controlled political reform while preventing dissension and disagreement, repression and so on, especially again after Tian An men.  Reforms were founded on a basis of enlisting socio – economic stability among the populace and for example, discouraging anti – capitalist (read “anti – U.S.”) attitudes, the greatest good for the greatest number, and a vision of success for all stakeholders – these factors all despite the absence of democracy.  Considering the international public’s view of the success of newly – redeveloped Shang hai and related places, the achievements of the 2008 Olympics, successes in the war against terrorism, and acceptance worldwide of the new dogma; the efforts at reform have been even more successful with the country’s communist party that while it now cannot control everything allows some small non – communist political activities and party organisations, cooperation of non – communists and NGO’s with the party, and the new rise of the C.P.C. as a model guarantor of the state’s integrity, leadership strength and other attributes, Chinese nationalism, and new Marxist thought of which former soviet influences and followings.  The three principles are said to have modernized the party, economics of the country, while retaining the traditional communist goals, structures and social rules that have been in place for more than a generation. 

This was brought about by an emphasis upon youth and renewal, and new colleagial and consensus – building administrative guidelines.  Those carrying out these efforts have presumably been part of the “inner party” of educated, talented, and sophisticated, dedicated elite acting against corruption and with a transitory character according to the modern realities of communism.  With the legacy of Deng Xiao ping theory it has been very difficult to assure or re – establish social stability after the events of 1989, though Mr. Jiang is said to have provided the country with consistent reform efforts featuring his executive, engineering and leadership qualities:  For Mr. Jiang, if you will, a sort of combination or cross between Beethoven and Shakespeare.  Things might nonetheless have been like the old Phoenix Cardinals playing the Houston Oilers in the day, but this series of coup reforms by Mr. Jiang was quite successful and extremely popular at the same time as based on intellectual and patriotic ideas and the power of same in efforts as well to dispel income disparities, master world macro – economics and inflation and fight corruption, over – taxation and unemployment.  The language used in the book mirrors the language about economics in the Western press and speaks authoritatively thereby, and by this calling for the old adage “trust but find fairness in it.”  The text proceeds to illustrate how the new principles and processes worked, and goes on and on about much of it while richly illustrating the story of Mr. Jiang including a good section of chapters on early life and political formation.  And that’s not all.    

2013 Blog Article - Wall Street Journal.

re - edited 09/28/2013.