Just what China needs: a Marxist-Leninist revival.
At an autumn meeting of China’s all-powerful Politburo, Hu Jintao, the President and Communist Party chief, left the floor to his Prime Minister to discuss economic policy.
President Hu took centre-stage only when it came to the issue of ideology, using the opportunity to propose a revival in Marxism for modern China. An £8 million Marxism-Leninism academy has opened in Beijing to mark the 112th anniversary on December 26 of the birthday of Chairman Mao. An existing institute has been upgraded, staffing expanded to 200 from 75 and its president now holds the rank of a Cabinet vice -minister. […]
Exercising the mind of Mr Hu is how to maintain the party’s grasp on power when its founding ideology is in such contradiction to the market reforms that have brought his people unprecedented prosperity and ensured the party’s longevity. He has dismissed Western-style democracy as a blind alley.
One academic said: “Marxism will be used to explain the party’s political theories, policies and goals and to emphasise the Communist Party’s legitimacy.”
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