Re: CASS scholars warn about neo-liberalism

[Martin Hart-Landsberg <marty@lclark.edu>]

Hi Jonathan,

I really appreciate your summary.  But now I am left wondering more about
the warning.  The content of neoliberalism (as defined below)--
privatization, selling off of state assets, marketization, etc. all sound
a lot like Chinese policy.  So is this critique of neoliberalism a way to
raise the alarm about Chinese policy without directly addressing that
policy.  And is the notion that neoliberalism is a policy imposed from
without a way to give Chinese leaders some leeway to change direction
without directly holding them accountable?

In other words, how self critical is this development/analysis? Said
differently, how seriously should we take it as indicating a more critical
perspective by Chinese scholars on what is taking place in China?


Sorry to keep raising so many questions but I learn a lot from the
conversation.

Marty



On Fri, 12 Nov 2004, Jonathan Lassen wrote:

> Marty,
>
> The link is to a full-page interview with several CASS (Chinese Academy
> of Social Science) scholars in the Guangming Daily, the CCP paper. I
> guess this would kind of be like a major report released by the NSF or
> SSRC.
>
> The research project was launched in July, 2003, and included 10 big
> name scholars. Several conferences were held which culminated in the
> publication of the book 'Analyses of Neoliberalism' in June of this year:
> http://www.ssdph.com.cn/NEWBOOK/list.asp?id=1067
>
> This is very establishment. None of the less established scholars
> branded as 'new left' are in the collection (save for one).
>
> Here's what I gather neo-liberalism is understood as (from the interview
> and web articles, I haven't seen the book):
>
> Content:
>
> Liberal economic policies, marketization, privatization, abolishment of
> state-owned assets, refutation of socialism and state intervention,
> globalization.
>
> Class:
>
> Neo-liberalism is a strategy by the international monopoly capitalist
> class to sustain the capitalist mode of production and capitalist
> economic system. The goal is to establish a world system of accumulation
> led by international monopoly capital.
>
> Contradictions:
>
> In the pursuit of the above goal, contradictions within developing and
> between developed and developing countries are sharpening.
>
> Source:
>
> Neo-liberalism is viewed as something that is invading China from
> without. This understanding of neoliberalism is gained via a study of
> Latin America and Russia. There is no analysis pertaining to China in
> the Guangming Daily article, although there appear to be a few articles
> in the book.
>
> Hope this helps,
>
> Jonathan
>
>
>
> Hart-Landsberg wrote:
>
> > I wonder if anyone can help me out.  I am unable to read Chinese,
> > unfortunately, but would like a sense of what this document is about.
> > Who are these scholars, what is their warning, where are they publishing
> > it, etc.  If someone could give me a brief sense of this i would be very
> > greatful.
> >
> > Marty
> >
> > --On Friday, November 12, 2004 1:56 PM -0500 Jonathan Lassen
> > <jjlassen@chinastudygroup.org> wrote:
> >
> >> [rumor is that the impetus to research neoliberlism came from a
> >> high-ranking official's trip to Latin America, and personal warnings
> >> from Chavez and Castro about neo-liberalism]
> >>
> >> http://www.gmw.cn/01gmrb/2004-11/09/B4_b.htm
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
>