What is the PSL's views on the Gang of Four?

  1. RedSunRising - 24th May 2011, 20:48
    In my niavity I was shocked to discover that FRSO-Fight Back! supported the coup against them so I would be interested in hearing the views of the PSL on them given their belief that the PRC today is still socialist.
  2. The Vegan Marxist
    The Vegan Marxist - 25th May 2011, 01:00
    Well, I'm not PSL, but FRSO-FB!, but you've gotta understand the position that there wasn't a coup against the "gang of four", rather the "gang of four" was waging a coup themselves. This was detailed quite extensively under a clear Marxist-Leninist analysis throughout the work, "The Case of the Gang of Four" by Chi Hsin.

  3. The Douche
    The Douche - 25th May 2011, 02:47
    I don't know if its accurate to say the PSL views the PRC as currently socialist. I'm pretty sure that the view is that China is still persuing revolution, but that socialism is currently on the downturn or being beaten.
  4. The Vegan Marxist
    The Vegan Marxist - 25th May 2011, 03:55
    ^Wouldn't that still constitute China as being socialist, though on the "capitalist road"? One could call it socialism on the rise or socialism in crisis, but unless capitalism's been actually restored, we're still in a position of viewing China as socialist (with problems needing to be addressed of course).
  5. Marxach-Léinínach
    Marxach-Léinínach - 25th May 2011, 11:09
    It is actually true that it's one hell of a stretch to call what happened to them a "coup". The only power they ever had was completely dependent on Mao, and there'd have been some miniscule amount of resistance at least if it had been a coup.
  6. Marxach-Léinínach
    Marxach-Léinínach - 25th May 2011, 11:12
    The way I see it, China's gone back to New Democracy
  7. Chimurenga. - 26th May 2011, 09:57
    You should post PSL related questions in our group on this forum.

    About China being socialist, here is basically the PSL's view: http://www.revleft.com/vb/rich-peopl...53#post2120953

    As for the view of the Gang Of Four, you should check out Sam Marcy's book China 1977: End of the Revolutionary Mao Era.
    "The arrests of Chiang Ching, Chang Chun-chiao, Wang Hung-wen, and Yao Wen-yuan mean that Mao's closest supporters have been suppressed, and probably along with them thousands upon thousands of others will be affected.
    The elimination of these four from the leadership and their suppression mean that Mao's party is virtually being liquidated. No other conclusion can be drawn if it is true that Hua Kuo-feng and his supporters have resorted to these unprecedented forcible measures.
    Hua Kuo-feng himself may turn out to be an accidental and wholly transitional figure. It is the social forces behind him which are formidable and of consequence.
    It is also true that none of the four leaders -- Chang Chun-chiao, Wang Hung-wen, Yao Wen-yuang, or even Chiang Ching -- could have claimed the full political confidence of Mao. Unquestionably there were differences even among themselves. But as a political grouping, in reality as the core of the party, they were in Mao's camp and most fervently tried to carry out his program."
    http://www.workers.org/marcy/cd/sams...ss/suppr01.htm

    The fall of Chiang Ching, Yao Wen-yuan, Chang Chun-chiao, and Wang Hung-wen marks the end of the Mao era in general and the end of the Cultural Revolution in particular. There might be minor turns of an episodic character in the ensuing period.

    If there is any grain of truth at all in the report that Chairman Mao had warned his grouping of Chiang, Wang, Yao, and Chang against forming a faction, as is alleged in an editorial in the People's Daily of Oct. 25, it could only be because he felt that the left was vastly outnumbered and weakened. There had been all the "rehabilitations" of right-wing figures and their reemergence under the aegis of Teng's leadership as well as the campaign of "rectifications" which was directed against the left and inspired by Teng.
    Nevertheless, the struggle that was actually launched against Teng was clearly led by Mao and carried out by his close supporters -- Chiang, Wang, Yao, and Chang. It is they who, unquestionably under Mao's direction, initiated the campaign to "beat back the right deviationist wind which," as they said, "seeks to reverse correct verdicts."
    http://www.workers.org/marcy/cd/sams...ss/suppr03.htm

    Basically, The death of Lin Biao was the beginning of the end of the Left faction, the arrests of the Gang Of Four was the end of the revolution Mao era, and the death of Zhou Enlai was the official defeat of the Left in the Chinese Communist Party.

    I hope this helps.