China's Leaders Want To Have Their Communist Cake And Eat It, Too

Investor's Business Daily ^ | 15 Nov 2013 | Editorial

[IBD editorial writer]

Change: China's communist leadership announced an unsettling mix of accelerated capitalism along with a greater centralization in leadership. It signals how little Beijing knows about what makes free markets work. The four-day huddle of China's Communist Party leaders, whose gobbledygook official title was the Third Plenary Session of the 18th Communist China Central Committee, pretty well lived up to its billing as rule by committee — a weak one that can't make up its mind. Each of the calls for reform in its vague, 5,000-word communique released on Tuesday — whether of farms, businesses, banks or the judiciary — was met with a qualifier about how the Communist Party and all its pet projects would retain primacy, contradicting whatever it was the party claimed it wanted to reform. Far from being a "comprehensive" blueprint for the way ahead, as its leaders claimed, it was a clear-cut case of the party leadership trying to have its cake and eat it too — against the harsh winds of reality.

[IBD editorial writer]

This always the problem with Chicoms, and the left in general.

[NormsRevenge]

I'll take China's 5-year plan over Obama's any day.

[mojito]

So many community organizers, so little understanding.

[factoryrat]

The chinese politiburo can’t decide between communism, fascism, or crony
capitalism. Maybe they look at the Wall st./K st./1600 Pennsylvania ave. method. That shakedown racket seems to be working out pretty good for all of the players involved.

[KarlInOhio]

A couple times a year the Chinese get out their red flags and banners of Marx, Lenin and Mao. But when the celebrations are done they put them away and go back to running an increasingly capitalist country. On the other hand we put away our flags and pictures of Washington, Adams and Jefferson and go back to being an increasingly socialist country.

I wonder which year we will pass each other going in opposite directions on the road between economic freedom and slavery.

[Skepolitic]

But, you could say the same about Team Obama.

[Skepolitic]

Very good observation!

[Farnsworth]

I’ve had enough of a taste these past 5 years. No matter what the topping communist cake isn’t any good.

[familyop]

The nations of the world are helping China to do just that. All of the more influential constituencies of the nations are socialist and against domestic competition with their global interests.