A New Look at Chinese History, Part II

Abstract

Our aim in this paper is to outline a view of Chinese history that accords with the facts better than the prevailing Western conception does. The latter stems from the limited experience of the past century, when China was weak, backward, and forcibly opened by and for Western exploitation. During most of history, however, China has been not only a great state, but a leader in science and civilization. With the recent consolidation of the Communist regime, China has resumed her normal Great Power status. We believe that this event, like the Russian Revolution, is a decisive turning point of world history. The two revolutions, really chapters of the same worldwide industrial revolution, indicate that the mainstream of man's social evolution has now entered irreversibly upon its socialist phase.

This article can also be found at the Monthly Review website, where most recent articles are published in full.

Click here to purchase a PDF version of this article at the Monthly Review website.