The Latest Emperor.
"The history of what man has accomplished in this world is, in essence, the History of the Great Men who have worked here."
Thomas Carlyle.
The Latest Emperor, the Great Man I want to talk about is Deng Xiaoping who died on February 19th. 1997.
And Deng was truly both
- an Emperor and a Great Man!
Let’s get the negatives out of the way first!
In February I was lucky enough to visit both China and Hong Kong. And in Beijing I stood in the vast arena that is Tiananmen Square, facing Mao’s mausoleum, with the Forbidden City behind it and the Great Hall of the People on the right. The most notable activity was the number of people flying kites - would-be politicians all!
And if you closed your eyes you could feel the ghosts of the past there.
Was that the rustle of tunics I hear - or just the rustling of leaves on the trees?
Is that the rattle of bayonets - or just the rattle of the staves on the wooden kites?
Is that the rumble of tanks - or just the rumble of the huge logging trucks as they pass by?
Ghosts!
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I am no apologist for violence and killing, but I do feel a great sympathy for someone who had to make an excruciatingly difficult decision.
My own view is that China was like a huge heavy lorry going down a very steep hill. If they took their foot off the brake too quickly, the lorry would go seriously out of control. If they had allowed the dissidents to have their way it is highly likely that a Civil War would have ensued.
Better (perhaps) to sacrifice a few hundred rather that risk losing millions. Bear in mind that millions of Chinese lost their lives during the Cultural Revolution.
Of course the Americans were fiercely critical of him. However, their own history is not exactly whistle-clean! Indeed, it is rather ironic that Truman OKed the Atom Bomb on the grounds of saving lives and during that period America’s record on suppressing minorities was not exactly a role model!
However, enough of that!
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If Mao was responsible for the "Great Leap Forward" then Deng was responsible for the "Great Leap Outwards"
Deng Xiaoping was quite small in stature and was very unassuming - but he had a will of steel! He was in and out of favor many times. He was a great friend of Mao and yet was banished by Mao. He was ousted during the Cultural Revolution and yet managed to find his way back.
The life of Deng spanned an apocalyptic era abounding with war, famine, danger - and Mao. He survived it all to rule one fifth of the world.
He became a titan among Statesmen and he set off seismic changes in his country liberating it from the most self-defeating precepts of Marxist economics.
It is said that he first got the idea for his twin-track approach from his Bridge partner of many years - Whu Bet Tu.
The basis of his approach was to allow free market economics, while maintaining rigid political control. One of his most famous sayings was "It doesn’t matter whether a cat is black or white, as long as it catches mice!" and this was his justification for embracing the technology and systems of the West while maintaining firm control is true Marxist tradition.
China emerged from the closed - almost hermetically sealed - country that it was under Mao and subsequently, under the Gang of Four.
Deng was so successful in his approach that China not merely joined the World community, it has become the World’s third largest economy. Last year alone Foreign Investment topped $40 billion. China has now become the eleventh largest exporter in the world - and you ain’t seen nothing yet!
Deng created special industrial zones [SERs].
In Shanghai, for example, there are currently 20,000 projects under way. They are building bridges, roads, hotels, villas, golf courses.
Something like 27,000 foreign companies have now set up in joint ventures.
In the countryside peasants are allowed to cultivate their own crops and to sell at market prices - much more beneficial than the old communes of 54,000 people.
People can now wear what they want. - live where they want.
travel where they want - enjoy greater access to information.
can choose who they want to marry and when to divorce
In fact, they now have local elections for local leaders.
Deng Xiaoping died at 21:08 on February 19th. 1997 at the age of 92 - The latest Chinese Emperor.
A man who has changed the course of history for one fifth of the World’s people.
China will never be the same again - indeed, the World will never be the same again because of him!
You know the way people can remember where they were when certain events took place. Like - where were you when President Kennedy was shot?
Where were you when Deng died? I know where I was!
Well Deng was a great revolutionary and I, a revolutionary of an entirely different sort, sat atop La Ronda, a rotating restaurant, 32 floors above the clutter, the clamor, the cacophony of Wan Chai, watching the kaleidoscope of light and color and reflection that is Hong Kong slide by,
- blissfully unaware that Deng Xiaoping had gone to meet Marx in that great commune in the sky
© Liam Haines – April 1997