Labour and the failure of reform in China

After initial success in the 1980s, political, economic and social reforms in China have run into an all-encompassing crisis. This crisis is not typically Chinese or communist. It is evident in all post-communist societies. There is no real difference in viewing present-day China as either one of the last communist societies or as one of the first post-communist societies. To understand the nature of the crisis one must go beyond the simple definitions of human rights and free enterprise.

The author demonstrates that the problem-ridden dismantling of a state socialist labour system is at the core of these current issues. The view that resistance to change under communism could be explained by the existence of a strong party-state seems increasingly irrelevant since that resistance is also present where the strong party-state has ceased to exist. The concepts of democracy ad the separation of power have one meaning in developed states and a different significance in post-communist states.

Dr Korzec shows that much more is involved in the issues of enterprise independence and privatization than mere abdication of state control and the transfer of property rights.