Thoughts on the 18th National Congress of the CPC

Mutual learning is important. The CPC has learned much from other countries over past decades and drawn lessons from both their progress and setbacks. It appears that the time has now come to learn from the great achievements of the CPC, not least among them its answers to the questions: What is socialism? How can it be achieved? And how can a socialist democracy and socialist rule of law be established?

The 18th National Congress of the CPC took place at a time when the most important elements of socialist development have already been laid down; for example, the strategy for economic development, financial policies, the socialist political system, socialist democracy, socialist rule of law, ideological education, social structure and foreign policies.

Communist and socialist parties throughout the world are debating the concept of socialism in the 21st century. Willingness to learn from the experiences of the CPC, however, is often absent from such discussions.

The CPC has formulated and elaborated upon the pivotal concepts of the "primary stage of socialism" and "socialism with Chinese characteristics". The former differs from the "transitional period of socialism" and the "laying of the foundations of socialism" of the Soviet model. Although the concept of "socialism with Chinese characteristics" is correct, Chinese features do not necessarily determine the whole.

Many so-called "Chinese features" are also apparent in other countries, and not everything previously labeled socialism constitutes a socialist principle that can be successfully brought into effect. Furthermore, experiences prove that highly developed capitalistic productive forces are not a prerequisite to the transformation to socialism.

The misconception of socialism with Chinese characteristics relates closely to that of the reasons behind the dramatic events in the USSR and former socialist European countries between 1989 and 1991. Communists and socialists, especially in countries whom these events directly affected, consequently remain bewildered to this day. What they need is a new orientation.

The affected countries often evaluate the dramatic events of those years as proof of the defeat of socialism. If nothing else, the Chinese experience proves the opposite. It is the approach, the method of elaborating the strategy and the tactics applicable to the development of socialism that play central roles in the discussion. What is needed is the establishment of a contemporary view on the new social order as well as of a Marxist way of thinking and acting.

The work report to the 17th National Congress of the Communist Party of China states: "Adhering to socialism with Chinese characteristics actually means adhering to socialism itself." This statement imbues a profound truth. The latest developments in capitalism have clearly proven that it is impossible to control social development or to solve the economic problems of globalization under the backdrop of capitalist relations of production and the political balance of power in favor of the upper middle-class.

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ROLF BERTHOLD served as the GDR Ambassador to China from 1982 to 1990.