[Comment] Xu Youyu: My thoughts on Rong Jian's article "Spirit for the Revolution?"

[Remaining case: Hong Kong refugees held an event in California last weekend and invited Pompeo and Yu Maochun to attend. It clearly shows that the mobility of Hong Kong refugees far exceeds that of China's June 4th refugees and other ethnic groups such as the Western Regions and Tubo and Southern Mongolia. The fundamental reason why Hong Kong refugees see immediate results is that they made a clear choice on values: they are completely different from those pro-democracy activists, etc. In last year's election, they blatantly said that they could not put their treasure on Trump alone, in case of defeat. Wait until you win. This kind of calculated speculation on gains and losses reveals two fundamentally different value orientations. Among the speakers at the evening was the source of the re-emergence of liberty at the top of the Republican Party. They repeat Trump's cliché that freedom is not a gift from the government, but a gift from the Creator. That is, from the Lord. Of course, the donkey party and the pig party would not make such a statement. Therefore, Hong Kong people chose to stand on the side of Pompeo and Yu Maochun, that is, they chose to stand on the side of Te Maucun behind them. Their attitude is rooted in the fact that they are no longer as disconnected from the Nazis as the traditional Greater China glue. But hostile to them from the root. Its spirit of sacrifice is also beyond the reach of Chinese democracy leaders who do not care about the lives of others. Some took the initiative to go to jail and let those with foreign language skills set up overseas fronts. The gathering showed that the language proficiency allowed them to work well with mainstream media politicians. Video production ability is another of their strengths. The professional performance of various self-media is really not to be underestimated. It's no wonder that the shot is extraordinary from the beginning. As a rebel in his twenties, he publicly declared that he would "fight for a long life" with the Nazis. This really embarrassed those pro-democracy activists who were wasting their time and accomplishing nothing. Pompeo was questioned after his speech. Someone asked him about his future plans, whether to run for president or serve as Trump's deputy to fight next year. He laughed and admitted that when he entered West Point 30 years ago at the age of 18, he kept in mind the school motto: responsibility and honor to the country. So the only intention is to answer the call of the Lord. If you accept it, you just have to work hard. Just like before, he never thought about how to win the upper cloud. This kind of confession is rather touching. 】

NewCenturyNet: Xu Youyu: My Views on Rong Jian's "Spirit for the Revolution?" (Chang Feng)

https://2newcenturynet.blogspot.com/2021/10/blog-post_269.html

Monday, October 18, 2021

Author: Changfeng

In September 2021, the 43rd issue of Taiwan's "Thought" magazine published an article by Mr. Rong Jian, a well-known mainland scholar and influential political and cultural critic, "Spirit of the Revolution? - Commentary on Wang Hui's new book "The Birth of the Century" (click here Check out this article), which has aroused the deep concern of intellectuals at home and abroad. To this end, Chang Feng, a young scholar in the media, made an interview with Mr. Xu Youyu, a political and cultural scholar currently living in New York. Mr. Xu spoke highly of and praised Rong Jian's article. Below is a summary of the interview transcript.

Changfeng: Teacher Youyu, thank you for taking the time to accept my interview. I think you must have read Mr. Rong Jian's article "Spirit of the Revolution? - Commentary on Wang Hui's new book "The Birth of the Century" published in the 43rd issue of Taiwan's "Thought" magazine in September this year. I know that you have been paying attention to the trends and debates in the political and ideological aspects of mainland China, and have had a debate with Mr. Wang Hui. I think you are very familiar with Mr. Wang Hui's position and views, and I would like to know what you think of Mr. Rong Jian's article. Of course, I would like to know what you think of Mr. Wang Hui's point of view.

Xu Youyu: Rong Jian's article is well written. I have read this article more than once. I have to say that his articles are not only good, but the ones I have written before and what I have read are basically good. General praise—such as the strength of arguments, arguments, the height and depth of observation and analysis—I won’t go into it here, I just want to compare Rong Jian’s article with Wang Hui’s. Rong Jian's articles are fluent and readable. What he opposes and what he approves is straightforward and clear; while Wang Hui's articles are always confusing and confusing, or make people confused. Either greatly test the reader's reading perseverance. In fact, only after reading Rong Jian's article can people more clearly understand what Wang Hui wants to say and what his argumentation line is.

Changfeng: Wang Hui's criticized book is very long, and Rong Jian's critical article is also very long. Can you briefly describe what their views are, and what is their fundamental opposition? Xu Youyu: Yes. Of course, it is not convenient for me to cite the original text, but to add my own understanding and explanation. In my opinion, the political and ideological problems facing China today are rooted in the legitimacy of the ruling party. This legitimacy has encountered crisis and challenges in two aspects. From a practical point of view, people’s personal safety and property cannot be guaranteed, corruption cannot be curbed, the gap between the rich and the poor has widened sharply, and major policies have accelerated to the left. Not only have the promise of political reform been abandoned, but also Even Deng Xiaoping's line of reform and opening up is no longer inherited.

 [Remaining Case: It is not advisable to have too many illusions about Deng Wa's so-called "change the line". One sentence and four insistences have revealed its true colors. He was never the reformer that Hu Zhao took for granted. This is the direct reason why Hu Zhao did not end well. Hu Zhao's heart was in the jade pot. I thought that the Chinese revolution had finally come to a turning point. We should really return to the original intention, and let the so-called revolution return to the starting point of seeking the interests of the people. It's a pity that in Deng Wa's view it is really whimsical. Deng Wa and the so-called Eight Old Immortals, who originally adhered to Mao's thief-dong's philosophy, are thinking of this, but how to ensure that the history of fighting the country and sitting in the country can be sustainable. The people are as naive and naive as Hu Zhao. I would have put my heart to the bright moon, but the bright moon illuminates the ditches. If the so-called reform of Deng Wa is now regarded as the opposite of Xitra, then everything else need not be discussed at all. 】

From the perspective of the trend of historical development, the upheaval in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe has shattered a deep-rooted myth of historical inevitability: Communism will definitely defeat capitalism and achieve the final victory. Wang Hui's focus is to explain that China's existing regime is quite legitimate. It originated from a great revolution. This revolution relied on people's war to seize power with guns. As for legality in terms of historical trends and historical inevitability. If we get rid of the traditional Eurocentric theory and do not regard the October Revolution in Soviet Russia as an event that ushered in a new era of the 20th century, but put the Chinese revolution at the center of the 20th century, then the past, present and future of the revolution, About the past, present, and future of human destiny, we can get a completely different, bright and splendid picture.

 [Yu Case: This kind of “innovation” cannot be regarded as something that was created out of nothing. In fact, Wang Hui and his ilk are not single-handed, but adhering to the tradition of the Dana family, including Liu Xiaofeng and so on. They insist that the logic of power itself is by no means "serving the people", but to conquer the people and drive the people to realize the expansion of power itself (see the related discussion of the two-body theory of kings. Interestingly, the initiator of the so-called popular sovereignty should be The likes of Chen Sheng, Wu Guang, and others who advocated that the princes and generals should be compared with each other, right? Since then, the competition in the Central Plains has become the norm in the history of the East. When Wang Hui came here, it became the origin of the Chinese century marked by the Chinese revolution. seems to indicate something). This is the reason why I regard the Chinese academic circle represented by Wang Hui as a red Nazi eunuch. Opposing Wang Hui is Qin Hui. The "imperial system" opposed by the latter is exactly what Wang Hui advocated for the Qin government. It is rare that Rong Jian is willing to work hard to refute such a fallacy, which also leaves a bright spot for the Chinese academic circle. More theoretical achievements may be difficult to obtain from it. After all, it's just a pile of filth. What if you win? I have always admired Yu Maochun's independent and cold autumn style of staying out of the way and always changing. We must go straight to Huanglong and challenge their basic theory. Otherwise, wouldn't it be a pity to spend effort but not necessarily get the desired results? 】

Changfeng: Isn't this a "China model" theory decorated with new concepts and new terms? This is not a disguised statement: "30 years Hedong, 30 years Hexi, now it is China's turn to lead the world trend! "

Xu Youyu: That’s exactly why Rong Jian pointed out in the article that Wang Hui’s grand narrative on the Chinese revolution and the Chinese century is to provide a new legal basis for one party to rule forever, and to place world history in the value of the Chinese revolution In the system, the Chinese revolution and its regime are shaped as the ultimate source and ultimate judge of universal justice in the world.

Wang Hui's theory has a certain sense of integrity and thoroughness. We know that at some point 20 or 30 years ago, when the tragedies of the Great Leap Forward, the People's Commune, and the Cultural Revolution were exposed, and the brutal events in the so-called "Agrarian Revolution" and "War of Liberation" were exposed, how much has the authorities already done? He changed his strategy of defending his own legitimacy, from talking about "revolutionary legitimacy" to "political performance legitimacy", that is, the economic results obtained after reform and opening up to demonstrate the legitimacy of rule.

However, Wang Hui was not satisfied with the "legitimation of political achievements". In fact, he was very reluctant to talk about the achievements of reform and opening up. He bravely reshaped the legitimacy of the revolution. In this regard, Rong Jian pointedly pointed out that this is the theory of "political power emerges from the barrel of a gun" and "strike the country, and sit on the country" wrapped in new concepts and new terms, and it is a naked conjuration for violent revolution.

Chang Feng: I really admire Wang Hui's "theoretical courage"! However, there is indeed a saying: Wang Hui's theoretical quality is originality, and his views are indeed different!

Xu Youyu: I can't see it. Of course, to judge the value of a theory, first of all, see whether it is correct. Even if we only talk about originality, Wang Hui's "20th Century China Center Theory" is not his original creation, but the wisdom of the Cultural Revolution theorists Kang Sheng, Wang Li and others.

Changfeng: How do you say this? Xu Youyu: During the Cultural Revolution, the great CCP theorists Kang Sheng, Wang Li and others proposed that the center of the world revolution has shifted from Moscow in the Soviet Union to Beijing in China, and the basic model of the world revolution has changed from the urban workers’ uprising pioneered in Russia to the CCP. The invention of the rural encirclement of the city model, the world has entered the "Mao Zedong era".

Kang Sheng and Wang Li used the classic Marxist-Leninist vocabulary, while Wang Hui used various fashionable "post-ism" vocabulary, but they all pointed to the same, that is to prove that the era of mankind is the "Chinese era" "To observe the situation of the times and judge the historical trend, we must proceed from the "perspective of the Chinese revolution".

Back then, Kang Sheng and Wang Li's "Mao Zedong era" theory was believed by hundreds of millions of Chinese people, and all the Chinese people rejoiced for China to replace Soviet Russia and hold high the banner of world revolution. But after the Cultural Revolution, we can only turn to it again in the garbage heap of history. Kang Sheng and Wang Li also turned from a smash hit into a clown of history. .

Changfeng: Although Wang Hui's thoughts are far from the reality of China, he mainly relies on and cites a lot of Western academic resources, especially the theories of leftists in Europe and the United States, so he seems to seize opportunities everywhere in China and is not afraid of it, which is why he became famous. One?

[Yu Case: It should be regarded as an application of the strategy and tactics of the Communist Movement International in the new era. In Europe and the United States, the Black Lives Matter method, etc., are actually tacit cooperation between the inside and the outside. This is the meaning of the so-called decisive battle between good and evil gods and demons. After the French Revolution, a revolutionary shift in the left has affected the entire history of human development. This is the mass use of violent means. Historians even regarded the mass mobilization of the people in World War I and World War II, which resulted in mass deaths on both sides, as the aftermath of the French Revolution. Before that, the scale of wars between the nobles of Occidental and Western countries was so small that there were few dead people and could not be compared with the history of the East. This is the basis for Liang Shuming's determination that the history of the East is super precocious. Can't say it's totally unreasonable. By the way, I would like to mention an understanding of the East and the West. The disappearance of the tradition of the two rivers may be related to the eastward migration. All the way to the east, to the sea. It is understandable that the achievements of West Asia and Central Asia carried forward have been carried forward in this depression, so it is understandable that it is more "mature" than the state of Europe and West. As for the Communist Manifesto which directly regards violent revolution as the only means to realize the dictatorship of the proletariat, it is also the first achievement in human history. The repercussions lingered to this day. This can probably be regarded as the achievement of Wang Hui and his ilk, right? 】

Xu Youyu: In fact, he does not have a comprehensive and accurate understanding of the movements, theories and developments of the European and American leftists. In comparison, Rong Jian has a much higher cultivation in this regard. In the argument of Rongjian's article, there are two places that left a deep impression on me, and I even regard these as two small highlights in this article.

First, Rong Jian emphasized such a historical fact: European Social Democrats and most leftists have gone through a process from agreeing and preparing for violent revolution to rejecting violent revolution and unswervingly taking the road of parliamentary democracy, only in the It was only after this transition that the social democratic and leftist forces in Europe were able to march on a promising road. This should be of great inspiration to the Chinese who have long been immersed in the teachings of violent revolution.

 [Yu Case: Don't you see, giving up violent revolution is precisely the typical manifestation or typical crime of "revisionism" in Mao Zedong's eyes. 】

Second, Rong Jian pointed out two important facts, the European left once supported and praised Stalin's system, but after learning the truth of Stalin's great purge and great repression, most of them changed their attitude, similarly, in Soviet Eastern Europe After the upheaval, they acknowledged the fact that communism had failed and thought hard about why. Obviously, Wang Hui's position is completely opposite to the mainstream thinking and behavior of the European left, although he is very favored by some European left. Whether theoretically or practically speaking, a leftist—whatever brand of leftist he is, old leftist or new leftist—as long as he is not insane and obsessive, as long as he has some sincerity in the humanitarianism he professes , after so much death, bloodshed, violence, and repression, that he would support the idea of a violent revolution is completely inconceivable. But Wang Hui did so. He not only supported the violent revolution, but also sang its praises. No wonder Rong Jian bluntly pointed out: "In view of the obvious destruction caused by violent revolution and war to human civilization, almost no scholar in the new century will publicly defend violent revolution and war, especially the violent revolution. and war as a source of legitimacy for a regime, and Wang Hui is a rare exception."

Changfeng: Are you surprised by Wang Hui's position?

Xu Youyu: To be honest, I am not only surprised, but also shocked. As I recall, contemporary Chinese liberalism and the New Left appeared in the public discourse space in mainland China at about the same time in 1997. The two sides argued indiscriminately for about 10 years, followed by years of silence.

 [Yu Case: This statement is enough to testify that this person’s naivety is no less than that of almost all the “leftists” on the stage. The reason why the so-called stupid or bad has become the assertion of leftists is that lack of intelligence often becomes the entry point for understanding these leftists. This is why "common sense" is like a fantasy for such people. 】

The reason for the silence is that for liberalism, the originally limited space for speech has been lost. For example, the "seven not to speak" ban issued by the authorities, all of which are aimed at liberalism. I have a well-meaning explanation for the New Left's silence. I think that with the full display of the harshness of Stalinism and the ever-increasing repression and repression of popular ideas, the Chinese New Left should at least feel a sense of panic, even if it does not rise up to fight. At least muttered angrily "This is too much!" I thought, they would share the purge and aphasia with the liberals, and their silence meant silent protest and rethinking.

However, it seems I was wrong. I don't know the thoughts and feelings of many New Leftists in a high-pressure situation. I only saw Wang Hui publish his new book to support the establishment. This has made things no longer a matter of academic disputes, but each is showing its own basic moral position. Rong Jian made such a judgment in the article: "The dispute between the left-wing or right-wing position and Wang Hui's theory can never be a dispute between the left and the right, but only a dispute between the literary and the wild - a dispute between civilization and barbarism." This is an appropriate conclusion, and I agree with it.

Source: Sino-American Impression