De voortgezette revolutie: China en de ijzeren wet der oligarchisering

Samenvatting

There is little known about the Peoples Republic of China from a sociological perspective. What is known may be used to test a theory proposed by R. Michels (Zur Soziologie des Parteiwesens in der Modernen Demokratie. Untersuchungen uber die Oligarchischen Tendenzen des Gruppenlebens. On the sociology of the party system in modern democracy. Investigations on the oligarchical tendencies of communal life, Stuttgart, Germany: Alfred Kroner Verlag, 1957) which he calls the 'iron law of oligarchization'. This concerns the inability of leftist-radical groups to realize their revolutionary goals, since bureaucratic structures and a ruling elite are necessary for the government of any country. The question is whether China has undergone such an oligarchization, and if not, how this can be explained sociologically. The establishment of socialist rule on the entire mainland was preceded by a great deal of revolutionary activity. For some time after this, the Chinese government was oriented toward the ussr, which ended with the 'sinification' of the revolution. Signs of oligarchization include the massive growth and bureaucratization of political organizations, elitism and immobility on the part of the leaders, and apathy among the masses. There are few doubts that growth and bureaucratization of political structures has taken place. The other signs of oligarchization, however, have not appeared, indicating that the Chinese have developed a revolutionary system which has managed to remain dynamic. Reasons for this may be sought in the indoctrination of the masses and the mobilization campaigns which have kept institutions from becoming ossified. The system is maintained by the politization of the masses. Maoism has succeeded in answering the threat of oligarchization in revolutionary movements, providing a counter-example to Michel's theory. In the period before the actual revolution, the Maoists learned the importance of not alienating the masses, as was the case with Stalinism. With further modernization, however, China may have to choose between 'capitalist' liberalization and Stalinist repression, meaning an end to Maoism as it is now known. 1 table. P. Tiersma