Wall Street Journal: China’s Xi Ramps Up Control of Private Sector. ‘We Have No Choice but to Follow the Party.’ 👀

    • PhaseFour [he/him]
      ·
      edit-2
      4 years ago

      But not any significant amount over top leadership, which is what I’m talking about.

      There is democracy in China, but its primary influence is at the local and county level, and even that is something that was established from above.

      What are these claims coming from? Their democracy stops at the county level, but the national politics continues to represent the Democratic will of the people. ???

      There’s a lot more going on than democratic interests alone. Party membership is also tied to being generally in good standing, it has ties to career paths, etc.

      Yes, I'm not saying the CPC is a perfect democracy. I'm saying that they are a mass political party with millions of grass-roots organizations within it. And their national party line represents the masses better than any ruling political party, demonstrated by their +90% approval rating. These are related. The organized masses are more capable of advocated for their class.

      This is not relevant to the point I’m making

      Here is exactly what you said:

      Increasing party power over a company is one lever for controlling aspects of capitalism, but you’re not seeing increased worker ownership, workplace democracy, worker collectives, unions, or local planned economies. Instead, the reforms addressed by the article are centralized through that top-down bureaucracy and are a subtle (and effective) means for directing production towards projects deemed to be in the national interest.

      Most people, myself included, would read this statement as: The CPC is consolidating their political control over major industries, however, they are not pursuing other means of worker power.

      In reality, both are happening. The Party is strengthening their control over industry, while strengthening organized labor. That is relevant to the point you are making. The changes in China are not just top-down bureaucrats enforcing their will.

      In addition, that national trade union does not actually represent workers’ interests so much as act as a national HR program.

      Are you going to substantiate that claim? I do not trust the organizations pushing that line.

      US-China Business Council mentioned it, and they are a US-based NGO which has a pretty clear motivation for undermining the ACFTU.

      China Labor Bulletin is a Hong Kong-based NGO, whose founder was an NED funded "labor leader". Meanwhile, the Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions - the largest federation of trade unions in the region - is extremely supportive of the CPC and their relationship with AFTCU.

      Lastly, I saw the International Trade Union Confederation pushing this line. They are an anti-communist confederation, which has only ever been led by people from the Global North. They do not recognize the trade unions in Cuba, DPRK, Vietnam, Laos, or China as legitimate.

      Other unions are banned.

      Good.

      Labor unions are more successful when all branches of labor are united. Allowing unions to split into regional unions or trade-specific unions without a unified organization is disastrous to labor's political power.

      Anyone who recognizes the working class has a shared interest in challenging capitalism should advocating for one big union. This has been the case in every single communist country. This has been advocating by radicals in the Global North, such as the Wobblies.