OUSTER OF THE "RADICALS"
If current reports are confirmed, it appears that the so-called radical faction of the leadership of the Chinese Communist party has been ousted from power immediately after being deprived of its unassailable protection by the death of Mao. There can scarcely be any illusions about the
"radical" faction. It does not at all represent an expression, even an indirect one, of the "left Red Guards, " the advanced wing of the mass mobilizations that occurred during the cultural revolution. On the contrary, if is a faction of the bureaucracy that won its stripes by repressing both rebellious workers (in particular in Shanghai) and the independent Red
Guards. It was this repression that enabled Mao to make his right turn at the end of the cultural
The elimination of Chiang Ching and her comrades thus appears as a conflict within the bureaucracy. At this point it is impossible to determine whether one of the two factions desires - or could be led - to "normalize" relations with the Kremlin, a temptation that has solid objective bases on which to arise sooner or later. It is probable that the "radicals" will enjoy some support from the broad masses during the immediate period ahead. But this does not mean that the victory of the "moderate" wing of the apparatus will leave the masses indifferent or will fail fo have deep repercussions on the evolution of the situation in the People's Republic of China.
First of all, the most politicized layers of the proletariat and youth are exhibiting deep and mounting hostility to the apparatus as a whole, Resentment against social inequality and bureaucratic privilege is widespreod. The temporary "victors" in the succession struggle identify with the line of consolidation of the apparatus and its privileges. The resistance of the masses to this
Second, the profound disarray the elimination of the "radicals" will provoke among the "Maoists"
(and not only in China itself) will further loosen the leadership's control over the political and ideological thinking of the middle-layer codres and rank and file. This thinking will become in-
At bottom, what is becoming increasingly clear in the present political dynamic is that in China, unlike the USSR in the 1930s and 1950s, the independent mobilizations of the masses who are not depoliticized or demoralized will intensify and this will shake up the inner-bureaucratic maneuvering. In this sense, Mao has already died a second time, and "orthodox" Maoism has perished with him. The rebirth of revolutionary Marxism in a China on the road to political revolu-
Wang Hung-wen character of this revolution, a turn that affected both foreign and domestic policy.
line will not be long in coming.
creasingly critical, even in regard to Maoism as such.
tion is now on the agenda.
----- pull-quotes on this page ----- - china Chiang Ching C. Chun-chiao 3