China is presently exhibiting the rapid development and a self centred, anti-social, middle class. For example, elite rich Chinese are sending their kids offshore for hugely expensive education.
This suggests to me that wealth is being distributed contrary to what one would expect under a reasonable interpretation of 'Market Socialism'.
Further, when I toured China (1999) I saw a lot of construction and several unsafe working conditions. I also note that there is no Chinese construction union affiliated with UITBB. I would have expected a greater involvement of workers organisations.
While I do not speak Chinese, an interpreter did relay a question to a canal boat driver in Zhuzhou -whether things were better under Chairman Mao. He answered 'yes'.
The emerging vast disparities in Chinese incomes and possible lack of effective working class trade unions suggests to me that market socialism is not the dominant mode of production in China.
The deals that are being done with Western capitalists appear to be dragging Chinese national economic policy towards models of money profits and efficiency based on financial factors not value relations.
While this might not be a capitalist class-based mode of production - it is certainly an anti-social mode of production of some description.
Chris Warren
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