Re: CASS scholars warn about neo-liberalism

[Jonathan Lassen <jjlassen@chinastudygroup.org>]

Marty,

Yes, it sounds like they're using a foreign example to criticize what's 
happening in China. Only they're a little late, since non-establishment 
intellectuals have been launching very broad criticisms of 
neo-liberalism in China for years now.

I'm not sure how much leeway this could the leaders, since they would 
have to cut through seriously entrenched interest groups in order change 
the neoliberal tack. And it's not clear why they would want to do that, 
since they are actually beholden to thost interest groups to prevent 
China from exploding into unrest.

Cheers,

Jonathan



Martin Hart-Landsberg wrote:

> 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