From Post-Maoism to Post-Marxism: The Erosion of Official Ideology in Deng's China

The revolutionary banner passed from Marx, to Mao to Deng, but where is it now? In China after Mao, Deng Xiaoping began instituting far-reaching and practical economic reforms that seem at odds with communist theory and its emphasis on ideology. While Deng often turned to Mao for ideological justification of his reforms, those very reforms seemed to wear away at official ideology. From Post-Maoism to Post-Marxismchronicles Deng's failure to produce a coherent and internally consistent ideology to support new policies. In the end, China has been unable to find a sustainable middle ground between socialism and capitalism. Even though the post-Mao government has fostered economic growth, improved standards of living and intellectual pluralism, these changes have resulted in a decline in the perceived legitimacy of the regime.