Time for Mainland China to Do Away with Communist Sloganeering

Time for Mainland China to Do Away with Communist Sloganeering
United Daily News editorial (Taipei, Taiwan, ROC)
A Translation
October 2, 2009

Summary: On today's Mainland China only the CCP remains committed to a "red sea" of giant statues and banners proclaiming "socialism with Chinese characteristics." The aesthetics and politics of the Beijing Olympics and the 10/1 celebration are still collectivist, and are still based on the "four cardinal principles." By contrast, the Chinese civil society encompassing both sides of the Taiwan Strait shares the same view of democracy, freedom, and people's livelihood. The Chinese Communist leaders' next step must be self-liberation, specifically, the liberation of the mind. They must learn from the people. They must get close to the people. Only then can they can contribute to the transformation of the CCP and Mainland China.

Full Text below:

Recall the images from Beijing's 10/1 celebration and the Beijing Olympic ceremonies. Now recall the images from the World Games in Kaohsiung and the Deaflympics in Taipei. The difference in style and mindset is unmistakable.

Beijing's displays involve large masses of people. They stress order and collectivity. The synchronized placard displays of the Beijing Olympics spoke of peace. The troop review on 10/1 spoke of military might. But both were rooted in collectivism. By contrast, Taipei's displays placed a greater emphasis on freedom and individuality. The "dian ying san tai zi" (electronic versions of three traditional Chinese demigods) during the World Games in Kaohsiung, and the "da bian zuo" (great roundtable) at the Deaflympics in Taipei were free and unconstrained. Their liberated nature spoke of ordinary people's lives.

The Beijing Olympics and the 10/1 celebration were dazzling and majestic. The world was impressed. They underscored Mainland China's three decades of achievements in reform and liberalization. But they failed to underscore the basic values that underpin a nation's founding. Yesterday in Tiananmen Square, Hu Jintao repeated Mao Zedong's statement: "The Chinese people have stood up!" In fact Mao Zedong never enabled "the Chinese people to stand up." Deng Xiaoping and his successors, including Hu Jintao, enabled the Chinese people to stand up. Although some have become wealthy before others, the Chinese have indeed stood up. Unfortunately the Chinese people as a whole are still far from full freedom and democracy. Full liberation is still a long way off.

President Hu Jintao's statement reiterated "socialism with Chinese characteristics." But the Chinese Communist Party's path today is utterly devoid of Marxism and Mao Zedong Thought. By Mao Zedong's standards, all 1.3 billion Chinese are "capitalist roaders." All of them should be paraded through the streets wearing dunce caps. In fact, so-called "socialism with Chinese characteristics" has only one purpose, as a pretext for maintaining the dictatorship of the Chinese Communist Party. This perhaps is a contingency measure the CCP and Mainland China must adopt during a period of transition. But it is not a long term solution.

The portion of President Hu Jintao's speech with the most meat was the "liberation of the mind." Could Chinese Communist leaders have achieved what they have today without first liberating their own minds? They liberated themselves from the bonds of "Marx/Engels/Lenin/Stalin." They liberated themselves from "Mao Zedong Thought." They liberated themselves from "Communist," correction, "socialist" dogma. Had they not done so, they could hardly have accomplished what they have today. The next step is to liberate themselves from "socialism with Chinese characteristics." Only then can they achieve full democracy and freedom. Only then can Chinese Communist leaders achieve "true liberation." Only then can the Chinese people as a whole achieve "true liberation."

The public on Taiwan witnessed the razzle-dazzle of the Beijing Olympics, and the majesty of the 10/1 celebration. They can hardly disagree. China has indeed stood up. But the synchronized placard displays reduced the individual to atoms and cogs in a machine. As we watched crowds bearing giant statues, and a "red sea" of banners declaring allegiance to the state, we gained a deeper appreciation of how freedom and democracy differs from "Socialism with Chinese characteristics." In terms of military weaponry, the Republic of China government in Taipei is considerably weaker than the PRC government in Beijing. But in terms of freedom and democracy, the Taiwan Region is far better off than the Chinese Mainland.

The nation's unity is not maintained by means of giant statues and slogans. A nation's highest achievements are not missiles and tanks. The parades bearing giant statues and banners honoring "Marx/Engels/Lenin/Stalin" were once far longer. That was also when the standard of living was the lowest. Today's achievements are the fruits of "reform and liberalization," including the "liberation of the mind." The CCP and Mainland China have just celebrated the 60th anniversary of the founding of the PRC government. They should now shift their attention from giant statues and banners, to transforming the hearts and minds of the people, and to the adoption of democracy and freedom.

On today's Mainland China only the CCP remains committed to a "red sea" of giant statues and banners proclaiming "socialism with Chinese characteristics." The aesthetics and politics of the Beijing Olympics and the 10/1 celebration are still collectivist, and are still based on the "four cardinal principles." By contrast, the Chinese civil society encompassing both sides of the Taiwan Strait shares the same view of democracy, freedom, and people's livelihood. The Chinese Communist leaders' next step must be self-liberation, specifically, the liberation of the mind. They must learn from the people. They must get close to the people. Only then can they can contribute to the transformation of the CCP and Mainland China.

The Beijing Olympics and the 10/1 celebrations should have bolstered public confidence on Taiwan. Military confrontation is a thing of the past. The two sides are busy improving the people's livelihood. Democracy and freedom has granted the Republic of China government on Taiwan a voice. Within the the framework of "One China, Different Interpretations," the Republic of China's democracy and freedom endow it with enormous authority. Departing from "One China, Different Interpretations" merely robs it of that authority.

中國何時走出巨像標語紅海洋？
【聯合報╱社論】
2009.10.02 03:32 am

若以北京十一慶典及京奧場景，與高雄世運及台北聽奧的演示比較，可以發現海峽兩岸的思維與風格確有極大差異。

北京的節目，人多勢眾，強調格律與整體；不論是京奧用活字展現「和」，或閱兵用導彈展現「武」，皆是以「集體主義」為基調。相對而言，台灣的節目，比較強調自由與個性；不論是高雄世運的電音三太子，或台北聽奧的「大辦桌」，皆是自由奔放，皆在釋放性情與禮讚民生。

京奧的炫麗與十一的壯盛，令世人印象深刻；唯其景象雖然展現了中國大陸改革開放三十年來的成就，卻似在立國的基本思維上找不到落點。胡錦濤昨天在天安門上重複毛澤東的那句話：「中國人民站起來了！」其實，終毛澤東一生，他並未使「中國站起來」；現在，胡錦濤等繼鄧小平後，雖可謂已使「中國站起來」，但「中國人民」卻難謂也已「站起來了」。畢竟，雖然已使「一部分人先富起來」，但距使全體中國人民自由民主，完全解放，尚有很長很遠的努力空間。

胡錦濤昨日文告，仍以「有中國特色的社會主義」為基調。但是，盡人皆知，中共今日所走的路線，還有什麼「馬克思主義」？還有什麼「毛澤東思想」？倘依毛澤東的標準，今日十三億中國人誰人不是「走資派」？又何人不該戴尖帽子遊街示眾？其實，所謂的「有中國特色的社會主義」，如今只有一個效用，那就是做為堅持中國共產黨專政的口實；這或許是中共及中國轉型過渡不得不採行的權變方法，卻未必是可長可久的立國之道。

胡錦濤昨日演說中，最有血肉的一句話，就是「解放思想」。現今的中共，如果不是從「馬／恩／列／斯」的綑綁中「解放」出來，如果不是從「毛澤東思想」中「解放」出來，如果不是從「共產主義（已改稱社會主義）」教條中「解放」出來，豈可能有今日的成就？下一步，應當即是要從「有中國特色的社會主義」中「解放」出來。如此，直到有了完全的民主自由，中共自己始能得到「真解放」，全體中國人亦始能得到「真解放」。

對於台灣人來說，看京奧的炫麗與十一的壯盛，不免也有「中國崛起」的感思。但是，穿透那種將每一個人徹底原子化、機器化的「真人動畫」；穿透那種眾人抬著巨像、標語宣示效忠奉獻的「紅海洋」；卻也能深刻感受真正的民主自由與「有中國特色的社會主義」的差異所在。就國家武備而言，台灣也許未必那麼強大；但是，若就每一個人民享有的自由民主言，台灣卻遠逾於中國大陸。

國家的最高維繫，不在巨像與標語；國家的最高成就，亦不在導彈與坦克。中國大陸早年巨像與標語的隊伍更長，包括「馬／恩／列／斯」在內，那卻是民生水準最為慘痛的年代；能有今日成就，自是緣自「改革開放」，亦是緣自「解放思想」。跨越建政六十周年以後，中共及中國皆應立志於將立國的根基，從巨像標語，移植到民主自由的人心上。

今日中國大陸，只有中共最致力於維持由巨像、標語、紅海洋所支撐的「有中國特色的社會主義」；因而，不論京奧或十一的演示所呈現的美學與哲學，仍是集體主義與「四個堅持」。但是，在兩岸民間社會，對於民主、自由及人生或民生的美學或哲學，卻幾乎已經全無差異；未來的發展方向，應是中共自我解放、解放思想，向民間學習，向民間靠攏，如此始能促成中共與中國的過渡與轉型。

經過京奧與十一的激盪，台灣方面更應相信，軍事的對抗應當過去，民生的相互提升正在進行，而民主自由始是台灣最珍貴的「話語權」。台灣的民主自由，在「一中各表」中存有極大的能量；唯若離開「一中各表」的架構，台灣民主自由的能量恐失憑藉。