The Power Of Deng Xioping's Four Freedoms

Following the Mao years, China faced a series of unprecedented problems. The leaders of China had to revive their struggling economy, rehabilitate thousands of individuals from the “lost generation” (who never had an education and were sent to work on the farms), heal the wounds of the Cultural Revolution, combat issues such as starvation and poverty, renegotiate foreign policy, and modernize the country. To accomplish these gargantuan tasks, China needed unity, stability, and order. This is why the policies of the Chinese leader Deng Xioping rested on economic reforms and political authoritarianism, in which he choose to suppress democratic efforts. Deng’s “pragmatic” choice of economic liberalization transformed life in China. The heart

Economic reforms trumped ideological correctness, because economic reforms actually put food on the table, which is a much more basic and vital need then democracy. True progress would be caused through his economic reforms, and competing ideologies would have created national discourses that would have sent the country spiraling backwards. Therefore, Deng’s choice to suppress the Four Freedoms was one that created stability and helped to protect the Chinese people. Deng was aware that a lack of order caused by ideological disputes could descend into chaos. This was seen during the Cultural Revolution, as Mao called on the young people to attack the “bourgeoisie” but wasn’t clear on who to attack, resulting in mass deaths of intellectuals and widespread suspicion and hysteria in the country. This has also been seen throughout China’s history, when a lack of clear leadership created the era of warring states. This was simply too important a time, as China was undergoing an economic boom, and still needed to address issues such as the 1.1 million floating people, to risk chaos and argument. Deng choose to repress individuals in their goal of the fifth modernization, and prioritize economic changes because it provided the country with order and stability that was needed to provide economic development.
Despite the massive campaign for the fifth modernization,

In fact, a capitalist society can’t be truly that democratic because money and power naturally corrupt the democratic system. As stated in The People’s Daily, in a class society, democracy bears a class nature: “Since mankind entered class society, there has never been equality between the ruling class and the classes that are ruled, or in the distribution of rights…In a sense, all forms of freedom, democracy and human rights are abstract and practiced on conditions that are fundamental interest of the possessing class should be protected or left unharmed.” In reality the concept of a class democracy, and class freedom, and class human rights actually is the ruled class imposing its will on the oppressed. In our society, we have seen this as elections are influenced by wealth and cost billions. Since only rich can afford such huge expenditures, the middle class and American workers do not inquire about democracy. The People’s Daily further highlights this conflict between capitalism and democracy as it states, “In the history of the United States, which worker has been elected president?” Although many people in China desire a democratic system like the United States, American wealth undermines democracy, and this problem has increased in recent