COMMUNISM IN CHINA

Waipa Post, Volume 49, Issue 3525, 29 September 1934, Page 9

COMMUNISM IN CHINA

"At. first. Communism had a certain mystical halo around it. It is a belief, and for some of its followers is a religion, but the Chinese, brought up in the positivist and pragmatic philosophy of Confucius, are not mystical at all," writes Mr Tang Yeang Li, in "Suppressing Communist Banditry in China." "The human element always ultimately triumphs over the speculative element. Mysticism is an innate spiritual disposition. It cannot be created m a milieu unfavourable to it. Even when a Chinese is carried away by a fit of passion, his strong commonsense comes back to him after a period of mental unequilibrium, and he again lives in his traditional concepts. "What is more, the Chinese is very individualistic in his opinions, and it it- necessary to appeal to his reason in order to make him change them. He is not inclined to follow the ways of oth-ers-by the simple influence of discipline, but that and subordination of individual criticism to dictation by the party are the essential characteristics of Communism. "Communism considers society as being formed of individuals grouped according to their social functions, but. not according to personal sentiments or affections. This idea is alien to the Chinese, who regard family duties as of great importance. Con M munism tends to destroy the family* l by relaxing conjugal bonds, by entrusting the State with the care and education of children, and by the abolition of private property. Tradition and respect for ancestors are important Chinese social characteristics. "It. is the family which for the Chinese is at the base of the social structure. Even in the most modern cities, like Shanghai, many of the great enterprises, corporations, banks, etc., are either owned or managed by families or groups of families. Participation in a business on a joint stock basis, and appeals to prospective shareholders, who are not conjugally related, for support in starting a business, are Western ideas which have only recently been introduced into China. The ideal of the average Chinese is to work for the prosperity of his family, and the continuation of his line."