So, where exactly are all the communists, anyway?
Well, I might as well get this post out of the way and drop the Big-C word.
James MacGregor, author of One Billion Customers, said recently on NPR something to the effect that China has been and will continue to be a country that is truly capitalist. He said that the only reason the communists took over when they did was that China was ripe for a revolution, and that was the revolution du jour. One thing he quotes as evidence is that a Chinese New Year's Greeting is "I hope you get rich."
My own observations are pretty much restricted to Shenzhen, which is a special economic zone. I know that when Randy was up in Beijing a few weeks ago, he certainly observed evidence of continued reverence for Chairman Mao (the lines to his tomb were unbelievable he said). However, here in Shenzhen, anyone that doesn't already work for someone is in business for themselves. When I was in Fuyong on Saturday, or in Sui Wan Tou earlier this week, all I could see as far as I could see was commerce. I mentioned a few posts down somewhere that especially in Fuyong, there is a world of enterprise that is amazing. Even when I am at Starbucks, I wonder sometimes if the barristas are on commission because they are always trying to pressure me to buy a coffee mug or a pastry.
I really thought that with this week being International Labor Day I would see some evidence close to home that China is still China. However, if Communism is yet the state religion, Shenzhen must be one of those places that has secularized the holidays. Labor Day was a reason to be off from work and shop. Labor Day sales and specials were all over the chain stores in Sui Wan Tou. It seems it is less an occasion to celebrate the work that has "made China great" and more a ploy to get you to sign up for new cell phone service with China Telecom.
However, Wednesday on TV, we saw the sort of celebration of labor one would expect. An enormous arena, Rose Bowl size, full of dozens of choirs of hundreds of voices, each standing in turn and singing what sounded like patriotic songs. There were video montages celebrating all forms of labor and the history of Chinese labor--farmers, construction workers, athletes, military. Red flags waving, lots of dancing on a central stage, fans waving--you name it. They even had the choir of sailors swinging sunflowers. I thought it was moving, but only because I find positive displays of patriotism in general moving. Like when those rare occasions where I watch the Olympics and I will cry at any national anthem that is played for a gold medal winner if they are crying. Heck, standing in the middle of Prague almost exactly five years ago after the Czech national hockey team won the Europe Cup, and everyone waving flags and singing the Czech national anthem made me tear up.
So rest assured, there are still communists in China. They just seem so far removed from the China where I am right now.
James MacGregor, author of One Billion Customers, said recently on NPR something to the effect that China has been and will continue to be a country that is truly capitalist. He said that the only reason the communists took over when they did was that China was ripe for a revolution, and that was the revolution du jour. One thing he quotes as evidence is that a Chinese New Year's Greeting is "I hope you get rich."
My own observations are pretty much restricted to Shenzhen, which is a special economic zone. I know that when Randy was up in Beijing a few weeks ago, he certainly observed evidence of continued reverence for Chairman Mao (the lines to his tomb were unbelievable he said). However, here in Shenzhen, anyone that doesn't already work for someone is in business for themselves. When I was in Fuyong on Saturday, or in Sui Wan Tou earlier this week, all I could see as far as I could see was commerce. I mentioned a few posts down somewhere that especially in Fuyong, there is a world of enterprise that is amazing. Even when I am at Starbucks, I wonder sometimes if the barristas are on commission because they are always trying to pressure me to buy a coffee mug or a pastry.
I really thought that with this week being International Labor Day I would see some evidence close to home that China is still China. However, if Communism is yet the state religion, Shenzhen must be one of those places that has secularized the holidays. Labor Day was a reason to be off from work and shop. Labor Day sales and specials were all over the chain stores in Sui Wan Tou. It seems it is less an occasion to celebrate the work that has "made China great" and more a ploy to get you to sign up for new cell phone service with China Telecom.
However, Wednesday on TV, we saw the sort of celebration of labor one would expect. An enormous arena, Rose Bowl size, full of dozens of choirs of hundreds of voices, each standing in turn and singing what sounded like patriotic songs. There were video montages celebrating all forms of labor and the history of Chinese labor--farmers, construction workers, athletes, military. Red flags waving, lots of dancing on a central stage, fans waving--you name it. They even had the choir of sailors swinging sunflowers. I thought it was moving, but only because I find positive displays of patriotism in general moving. Like when those rare occasions where I watch the Olympics and I will cry at any national anthem that is played for a gold medal winner if they are crying. Heck, standing in the middle of Prague almost exactly five years ago after the Czech national hockey team won the Europe Cup, and everyone waving flags and singing the Czech national anthem made me tear up.
So rest assured, there are still communists in China. They just seem so far removed from the China where I am right now.
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