Deng Xiaoping’s Meta-Discursive Ideology for economic development in the Reform Period and the Departure from Mao Zedong Thought
Abstract: The rise of China and 1978-market reforms contrasts other post-socialist economies process of institutional and economic change. President Deng Xiaoping announced China’s continued commitment to socialism, yet his leadership is by some viewed to be the most radical social and economic transformation in contemporary Chinese history. One of the most extraordinary aspects of the Chinese reform period is the fact that the Chinese Communist Party (CPC) maintained its political hegemony despite radical institutional change. This essay aims to grant an explanation to how Deng’s discourse positioned reforms to nuance the considerable and large academic coverage of concrete policies in the reform period. Also, this essay will provide systematic insight into how Deng discursively managed to balance between radical changes in the economy, breaking with Mao Zedong Thought and maintaining the CPC’s hegemony. This essay is a qualitative content analysis of speeches and discussions based on state-centered analysis, Cheung’s interest theory and the theory of induced institutional innovation. The overreaching findings for how Deng positioned reforms are: China taking its chance, China putting in the effort and China finding its place in the world. The main results for how Deng framed the departure from Mao Zedong Thought are: Mao Zedong Thought allows change in politics and Mao Zedong Thought is not Mao the person. The findings of this essay bring forward nuanced interpretations of highly contentious concepts: institutional change, gradualism, pragmatism, self-reliance, open door policy, Marxist universal principles, Mao Zedong Thought and Chinese characteristics.
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