Communism's capitalist ideals

In early August, Jiang Zemin, President of China, decreed that capitalists could join China's Communist Party. Now for those not well-versed in economic theory, this simile might be helpful: a capitalist being invited to join a communist organization is like the KKK offering membership to Al Sharpton.\nThe Communist Party is the only political party in China. Using the word "party" gives the illusion that other choices exists. Remember, the perception of freedom is what communism is all about. For those Chinese interested in politics, there is sadly only one legal way to think.\nYet how communist is China's communism? Mao Zedong's 1949 vision for China was Marxist inspired. But Marx and Mao must be turning over in their graves as the once mighty walls of Chinese communism crumble at their very foundation. Jiang, by trying to carve out his place in the hall of great leaders, is betraying the very principles upon which China's communist regime was founded.\nThe inherent and fundamental tenets of Communist ideology, wherever it may be promulgated, preclude any legitimatization of private business. Marxist doctrine preaches complete government control of "the basic means of production -- a far cry from China's current toleration of and even encouragement of private industry. Developments impossible under Chairman Mao are now a reality: China's state industries being privatized one by one, the Chinese people being permitted to purchase houses, and, according to Charles Wolf Jr. of the Hoover Institution, the private sector alone now accounting for more than 25 percent of gross domestic product -- a figure that is rising rapidly. There's even talk of a stock market exclusively for private corporate equities.\nMarxism also articulates the doctrine of "class struggle," where capitalists are one of the classes to be struggled against by the ostensible masters of communism: workers. Yet, with the formal declaration of capitalists' participation in China's government, the power and sacred position the worker has held since Chairman Mao has been severely marginalized. Indeed, even though a 1989 ban forbids capitalists from political position and Party membership, many Party members have been involved with private ventures and become successful entrepreneurs. Money can seduce even the most ardent Commie.\nIn one of the ultimate ironies of China's transformation, censors shut down the Chinese Marxist newspaper "Pursuit of Truth" for criticizing Jiang's decision to include capitalists. Jiang means business, figuratively and literally. Those in political power will stay in power if the private sector is embraced, as opposed to being allowed to flourish without their intervention. Most importantly, China's capitalist tendencies are a springboard for many not-so-economic policy changes: ending the systematic destruction of the Tibetan nation and culture; ending the continued insistence that Taiwan reunify with the Mainland; ending religious persecution of Christians, Falun Gong followers, and all other religious minorities; and ending the practice of imprisoning anyone who disagrees with China's tyrannical government.\n It does not necessarily follow that economic prosperity leads to social and personal freedom. However, to perpetuate economic growth, one must ensure the enforcement of contracts, secure an unfettered flow of information, maintain a healthy export/import ratio, and stay competitive for international capital. Less tyranny would help such factors. The amount of exports China needs to offset the amount of food it must import for its population translates into China literally not being able to afford to stay true to its original Communist convictions. And international capital finds human rights abuses and general oppression quite unattractive. As syndicated columnist George Will states, "Radical economic transformation is never just economic." With a more dynamic Chinese economy, a marketplace for ideas should not be too far behind.