We Must Adhere to Socialism and Prevent Peaceful Evolution Towards Capitalism

Contained in in Vol. 3 of Selected Works of Deng Xiaoping. On November 23, 1989, Deng Xiaoping met with Kambarage Nyerere, former President of Tanzania, Chairman of the Tanzanian Revolutionary Party and Chairman of the South Commission. The conversation was a response to the policy of Western countries, which interfered in China's internal affairs under the pretext of freedom, democracy and human rights, after the political turmoil in 1989, it highlighted China's determination and will to continue to follow the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics. The United States and the Soviet Union have held talks that showed an encouraging tendency towards disarmament. We are happy to see this. I looked forward to the end of the Cold War, but now I feel disappointed. It seems that one Cold War has come to an end but that two others have already begun: one is being waged against all the countries of the South and the Third World, and the other against socialism. The world is so full of colonialism, neocolonialism, hegemony and power politics! It is more difficult than it used to be for small, poor countries, so they have to struggle even harder.

Deng Xiaoping pointed out sharply that “The Western countries are staging a Third World war without gunsmoke. By that I mean they want to bring about the peaceful evolution of socialist countries towards capitalism”. The Western countries have the same attitude towards China as towards the East European countries. They are unhappy that China adheres to socialism. The reason for the political turmoil in China in 1989 is discussed. The turmoil that arose in China this year also had to come about sooner or later. We ourselves were partly to blame. As you know, two of our General Secretaries fell because of their failure to deal with the problem of bourgeois liberalization. It is pointed out that if China allowed bourgeois liberalization, there would inevitably be turmoil. We would accomplish nothing, and our principles, policies, line and three-stage development strategy would all be doomed to failure. Therefore, Deng Xiaoping firmly put forward that we must take resolute measures to stop any unrest. Whenever there is unrest in future, we must stop it, so as to maintain stability. Western countries criticize us for violating human rights. As a matter of fact, they are the ones who have violated human rights. How many Chinese people were killed or wounded when the United States helped Chiang Kai-shek fight the civil war? And how many Chinese volunteers were killed or wounded when it supported South Korea in the Korean War? And that’s not counting the immeasurable losses inflicted on our people during a century of aggression by colonialists and imperialists, including the United States! So they have no right to talk about human rights.

In response to China's threatened sanctions at the Seven-Power Summit to quell the riots, the talks pointed out: “Now at their summit meeting the Group of Seven have been seeking hegemony and playing power politics.” After we put down the rebellion, the Group of Seven summit meeting issued a declaration imposing sanctions on China. Their talk about human rights, freedom and democracy is only designed to safeguard the interests of the strong, rich countries, which take advantage of their strength to bully weak countries, and which pursue hegemony and practise power politics. We never listen to such stuff. Nor do you. Even in the past when we were quite weak, we ignored them. China’s determination adhere to socialism will not change. Our Party was born amid threats and matured amid threats. At the 13th National Party Congress we decided on the strategy of “one central task, two basic points”. The conversation declared confidently: “So long as socialism does not collapse in China, it will always hold its ground in the world.” The talks inherited and developed Mao Zedong's thought on preventing peaceful evolution, and pointed out the direction for China's modernization under the new complex domestic and foreign situation.