60 Years of the PRC

[Oxford]

Today is the 60th anniversary of the People's Republic of China (中国人民共和国) founded on October 1, 1949 by Mao Zedong and the Communist Party.

It's obvious that China has changed dramatically in the past 60 years, especially starting around 1978.

Where do you think China will be in another 60 years? What do you think China still needs to resolve?

The BBC has posted a series of videos about this very issue.

More links:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8284087.stm
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/01/wo...a/01china.html
http://www.chinaview.cn/60thprc/

[irishamerican]

Well kudos for lasting this long but in good concious i cant really congratulate them.

[Braxton]

I would say the biggest thing that the Chinese Government has to resolve is how to provide social benefits to its population. During the Maoist period a system called the "Iron Rice Bowl" existed where everyone was guaranteed an education, healthcare, and price supports for food. Sadly, since the early 1980s the Chinese Government has moved away from that which has created major problems throughout society. What I think they really have to do is go back to some of the social benefits that once existed under the Maoist era. The Communist Party had its roots in helping the common people, but now with the country being basically capitalist is a lot of way there is a real question about what role the Party is playing if it doesn't ensure that the people get access to an "Iron Rice Bowl."

Another huge problem that is confronting China is ensuring that the laws are universally applied. This especially applies in the tax sector as some folks in China, especially some powerful ones, think that paying taxes is optional. The Chinese Government is sending a lot of folks here to study in American law schools to create a culture for the rule of law, but it is still going to take time to make that happen. There is still a disconnect between applying the law to those in power and those who are ordinary folks.

A issue that is definitely troubling is the rivalry between the provinces of China. The common belief is that China is a unitary State when in fact there is factionalism in the Communist Party. There is no question that the provinces compete against each other to get access to resources as well as business which often can lead to issues with the environment and quality issues for products being produced with one province trying to undercut the other.

A thing I would add to China's legal problems is its inability to honour copyrights. Software piracy as well as outright stealing of intellectual copyrights is a major problem in the country, and for folks to trust the Chinese they have to ensure that plans shared with them won't be copied without permission. A good example is how some General Motors designs have been copied by the Chinese without permission with some State owned enterprise making copies of Chevys called "Cherries."

Finally, there is the issue of China's borders with its former Soviet neighbours. The border in those places were not very well defined, and the Soviet Union and China came close to war at least once in the 1960s due to border issues. I am sure Russia is very wary of Chinese relations with the States of the Soviet Far East, and it is going to be interesting to see how China and Russia interact.

In sixty years I am pretty sure China will probably be pretty close to a Western Country in terms of economics. After all, there is precedence for this as China was a very wealthy country prior to the early 1800s. While the Chinese people prize stability above all things I am sure that the Communist Party is going to have to adapt to changing times especially as folks are not going to follow it blindly anymore like during the Maoist era. The Chinese State never really had a secret police like the old Soviet KGB or the East German Stasi thus enabling the Party to move forward without shadow groups holding it back. My guess is that if mainland China ever reconciles with Taiwan there could be a chance that China could be a two party system with the Communists and the Nationalists being the main parties across China. However, if that happens, then it will happen in the distant future. It was very interesting that the mainland's Government did allow the Chairman of the Nationalist Party visit Sun Yat-Sen's grave about two years ago.

[madgeisgod]

During the Maoist period a system called the "Iron Rice Bowl" existed where everyone was guaranteed an education, healthcare, and price supports for food.

But socialism/helping people is EVIL!

(oh and before anyone comments, I am well aware of all the evil Mao did)