The Chinese Dream From Mao to Xi

W.G.Ewald

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The Chinese Dream From Mao to Xi | China Power | The Diplomat


For any political party, it is vital to have a vision for the future that serves to provide compelling ethical or moral motivations to inspire people to participate in the party's cause. Lacking the procedural legitimacy of democratically selected leaders, it is even more important for the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) to create its own narratives and stories to bolster its legitimacy and to mobilize mass support. Even though Xi Jinping is probably the first Chinese leader to use the term "dream" in his new signature narrative, the CCP has a long tradition of providing its people with a rosy picture of the future.


Xi's Chinese Dream narrative is therefore like old wine in a new bottle with the dream's name supplanting Mao's realization of socialism and communism, Deng's invigoration of China, Jiang's national rejuvenation and Hu's harmonious society. With the rising complaints and unrest from the grassroots level about social inequity, Xi Jinping and the Party have also made special efforts to connect the Chinese Dream with the Chinese public. Instead of only emphasizing the Chinese Dream as the goal for the country and the government, Xi endeavored to convince the general public that the dream was also for each individual Chinese. And the realization of this dream for the country would be the catalyst for the realization of the dream for the individual, including housing, employment, public health, education and environment. Thus, the Chinese public could feel connected with the Chinese Dream narrative.
 

Ray

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Xi is honest enough to use the word 'dream'.

The Chinese love dreaming.

They dream their history up when they want to put claims on other's territories as also then grab that land to make their dreams come true.
 

shiphone

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some frenzied member began to rave again...LOL...
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there is a quite old but famous Entry in this world: American Dream

The American Dream is a national ethos of the United States, a set of ideals in which freedom includes the opportunity for prosperity and success, and an upward social mobility achieved through hard work. In the definition of the American Dream by James Truslow Adams in 1931, "life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement" regardless of social class or circumstances of birth.[1]
American Dream - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

in this century ,we tried to use this similar and westernized wording again...and in our Culture and language ,so called 'Dream'(梦) also stands for 'Ambitions'

the entry of Chinese Dream- 中国梦 on Wiki is well translated and explained already.

Interpretation

The Chinese Dream is vaguely defined, and has led to multiple interpretations describing the phrase's meaning.[16] However, what is not vague is its connection to the party's ideology of socialism with Chinese characteristics and Marxism–Leninism.[1]

The Chinese Dream vs. the American Dream


Author Helen H. Wang was the first one to connect the Chinese Dream with the American Dream. In her book The Chinese Dream,[11] Wang wrote: "The Chinese Dream, taking its title from the American Dream, alluding to an easily identifiable concept"¦" Wang attempts to demonstrate that the Chinese people have similar dreams as those of the American people. "This new [Chinese] middle class." Wang wrote, "which barely existed a decade ago, will reach the size of more than two Americas in a decade or two. They number in the hundreds of millions, with the same hopes and dreams that you and I have: to have a better life, to give our children an even better life"¦."

Sustainable development

The China Dream has been defined as sustainable development.[17] Peggy Liu and the NGO JUCCCE coined the phrase "China Dream" as a movement based on sustainability,[18] which was later popularized in China through a New York Times article and adopted by Xi Jinping.[9] Pollution and food safety are popular concerns in China.[18] Cities are frequently covered by smog and the country's rivers are polluted with industrial waste.[19] China's rising middle class is expected to increase by 500 million people by 2025 and will continue to put a strain on the country's dwindling resources.[17] According to Liu, the Chinese Dream of sustainability can be achieved through the promotion of green technologies and the reduction of widespread conspicuous consumption.[18] China's high growth has caused widespread environmental damage, and without environmental reforms, the deterioration could threaten the legitimacy of the Communist Party.[17] The Chinese Dream is a dream of a prosperous lifestyle reconciled with a sustainable lifetyle.[18]

National renewal


The Chinese Dream has been viewed as a call for China's rising international influence. Xi Jinping refers to the dream as a form of national rejuvenation.[4] Young Chinese are envious of America's cultural influence and hope that China could one day rival the US as a cultural exporter.[20] Members of Chinese military support China's military development, opining that the "strong-nation dream of a great revival of the Chinese people" can only result from a "strong-army dream". United States Secretary of State John Kerry has promoted the idea of a "Pacific Dream" to accommodate China's rise through regional collaboration over shared interests like the environment and economic growth.[8]

Individual dreams

Many Chinese have interpreted the Chinese dream as the pursuit of individual dreams. Evan Osnos of The New Yorker concludes that "Xi Jinping has sought to inspire his people by raising the flag of the China Dream, but they have interpreted it as China Dreams—plural."[4] The Chinese Dream is defined according to an individual's personal aspirations and desires, which may lead to "the proliferation of 1.3 billion China Dreams."[4] Sujian Guo and Baogang Guo argue, "To a great extent, the American dream has been exported to China and has become the Chinese dream."[21] But according to official party journal Qiushi, the Chinese Dream is not about individual glory, but about collective effort.[22] Measuring public sentiment on Sina Weibo, Christopher Marquis and Zoe Yang of CivilChina.org found that the Chinese Dream refers more to the common goods bestowed by civil society than it does to individual achievements.[23]

Economic and political reform

Some government officials and activists view the Chinese Dream as a need for economic and political reform.[24] Sustaining China's economic growth requires economic reform encompassing urbanization, the reduction of government bureaucracy, and weakening the power of special interests.[24][25] Chinese liberals have defined the Chinese Dream as a dream of constitutionalism. Southern Weekly, a liberal newspaper based in Guangzhou, attempted to publish an editorial titled "The Chinese dream: a dream of constitutionalism" which advocated the separation of powers, but was censored by the authorities.[16] Both Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang support economic reform, but have shied away from discussing political reform. Li has said that "But however deep the water may be, we will wade into the water. This is because we have no alternative. Reform concerns the destiny of our country and the future of our nation."[24] According to official party sources, the Chinese Dream is the "essence of Socialism with Chinese characteristics".[1]
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comparing to some famous Talker nation in this world, China's people was well known as Hard Working ones...it seems that the dream has much more Chance to come true than those 'Shining Promise' and 'big talk' ...LOL...

time will tell and it seems time has told something.
 
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s002wjh

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Xi is honest enough to use the word 'dream'.

The Chinese love dreaming.

They dream their history up when they want to put claims on other's territories as also then grab that land to make their dreams come true.
seriouslly do you have to bash everytime about anything china related, even its off topic. can you blame chinese poster for saying indian member bias etc etc when the mod doing the same.
 

W.G.Ewald

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seriouslly do you have to bash everytime about anything china related, even its off topic. can you blame chinese poster for saying indian member bias etc etc when the mod doing the same.
What BG Ray said is not wrong, however. In fact, it is a good summary of China's aggression involving several countries in its sphere of influence in the Pacific region.

They dream their history up when they want to put claims on other's territories as also then grab that land to make their dreams come true
.

You could confirm his statement by reviewing any number of threads on DFI. Even mods should be able to express their opinions.
 

no smoking

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seriouslly do you have to bash everytime about anything china related, even its off topic. can you blame chinese poster for saying indian member bias etc etc when the mod doing the same.
You should understand the people like Ray. As an old soldier, what could be worse than seeing the gap between you and your enemy larger and larger. After years of dreaming "India shining", suddently everything collapses--Rupee is going down, economic miracle is over. We should let him keep at least some self-consolling! After all, words don't hurt anyone.
 

Tianshan

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What BG Ray said is not wrong, however. In fact, it is a good summary of China's aggression involving several countries in its sphere of influence in the Pacific region.
what your fellow countryman Ray said is wrong, when did we "dream up history" and then grab land based on those dreams?

They dream their history up when they want to put claims on other's territories as also then grab that land to make their dreams come true.
here is a real historical fact for you Ray: india as a country never existed in history.

all the lands that india currently inhabits were grabbed from the natives based on dreams of something called "british india".

there is no historical basis on which india is a unified country. british india was a dream made into reality by western colonialists.
 
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W.G.Ewald

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More from the article, since our Chinese friends as usual attempt distraction by making the thread about India.
Hu Jintao continued Jiang's rejuvenation narrative while launching an additional narrative. The narrative considered Hu's legacy is "harmonious society" (hexie shehui). The social tensions brought on by the socioeconomic transformations that followed China's reforming and opening up convinced Hu to look to the Confucian-based concept of harmony to promote harmonious relationships inside of China as well as between China and the world. Despite the propaganda campaign of a harmonious society, Hu's era witnessed a striking rise of tensions of all levels, including ethnic tensions between Han Chinese and minorities in Tibet and Xinjiang, and worsening relations with Asian neighbors over territorial disputes. This reality turned the harmonious society narrative into a joke.

As we can see, Xi's Chinese Dream continues the CCP's tradition of providing the people a rosy and attractive future dream. The names and contents of the different narratives may differ, but the most important message of all these narratives from different periods remains the same: the Party wants the people to believe that only under the leadership of the CCP can the dream of a better life be realized. As Mao Zedong declared, "Only the CCP can save China!" Jiang Zemin stated, "Only the CCP can rejuvenate China!" And Xi Jinping recently said, "We 1.3 billion Chinese people should bear in mind the mission, unite as one." To make Chinese people believe this message is the dream that generations of the CCP leaders have dreamed.
 

W.G.Ewald

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A commenter responds with the Party Line!

The Communist Party of China is the vanguard both of the Chinese working class and of the Chinese people and the Chinese nation. It is the core of leadership for the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics and represents the development trend of China's advanced productive forces, the orientation of China's advanced culture and the fundamental interests of the overwhelming majority of the Chinese people. The realization of communism is the highest ideal and ultimate goal of the Party.
The Communist Party of China takes Marxism-Leninism, Mao Zedong Thought, Deng Xiaoping Theory, the important thought of Three Represents and the Scientific Outlook on Development as its guide to action. The fundamental reason behind all of China's achievements and progress since the reform and opening up policy was introduced is, in the final analysis, that the Party has blazed a path of socialism with Chinese characteristics, formulated the system of theories of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and established the socialist system with Chinese characteristics. In March 1949, Mao called on the whole Party to resolutely carry forward the work style of displaying modesty and prudence while guarding against conceit and impetuosity, and resolutely carry forward the style of working hard and living plain lives. I wonder what Mingze Xi, a student at Harvard, thinks about this mass line of tigers, flies and naked functionaries. She should write a term paper about this (Guagua Bo can join her). China Agricultural University or even Minzu University (for those of you who are not ethnic Han, such as Uyghurs, Tibetans, you know!) are much better places than Harvard to experience the Chinese Dream imbued with the Revolutionary Spirit of Lei Feng. The Great Helmsman still lives in the hearts of all Chinese, no matter where they work, rural or urban, hukou or dipiao, Yan'an or Shanghai.
May the Hukuo-Proletariat rise!
 

W.G.Ewald

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Now the Part Line is refuted!
The CCP is extorting the prosperity it is enjoying, through the threat of another Proxy-War and enslaving the people of China to work below World Minimum Wage.

After it's two Proxy-Wars with the Free World (Korea and Vietnam) Nixon decided to try a new tactic. When he opened the US markets to China he knew he was exporting American Jobs to China but he also knew it was better than exporting American Soldiers to die in another, fight to a draw, Proxy-War with China.

Nixon knew for China to compete in the World Market it would have to adopt Free Market Economic production of Goods and Services. Nixon's gambit was the Free Markets would eventually free the People of China. Tiananmen Square proved Nixon was right. Eventually the Chinese People will be Free and their enslavers will be dethroned.

It will not be the United States that does it; it will be India. As India modernizes and continues to under mine the standard of living in China with cheaper and better Goods and Services the CCP wil declares war on India. When the war grinds to a stand still, the CCP will order mass wave attacks as they did with the Chinese "Volunteers" in Korea. When the Chinese People lose their only son to the CCP the CCP will be done.

Some day, Nixon's statue will stand in Tiananmen Square as the man the Free China.
Interesting prediction in this comment.
 
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Ray

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what your fellow countryman Ray said is wrong, when did we "dream up history" and then grab land based on those dreams?


here is a real historical fact for you Ray: india as a country never existed in history.

all the lands that india currently inhabits were grabbed from the natives based on dreams of something called "british india".

there is no historical basis on which india is a unified country. british india was a dream made into reality by western colonialists.
And what be this:

 

Ray

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seriouslly do you have to bash everytime about anything china related, even its off topic. can you blame chinese poster for saying indian member bias etc etc when the mod doing the same.
One does not bash China.

One just exposes the falsehoods that are pandered to.

There are many posts that are laudatory too.

But then your jaundiced bias blinds you to perceive them!

That is all.
 

t_co

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More from the article, since our Chinese friends as usual attempt distraction by making the thread about India.
I'd endorse you for this comment, except I've never, ever, ever seen you condemn @Ray for his blatant China-bashing in India-centric threads.

We get that you like India and you've got deep misgivings about China. But don't pretend to be neutral or objective about it.

EDIT: Actually, given how you responded in the NSA thread, I'm not even sure you like India all that much. You just said it doesn't matter whether the NSA has a right to be spying on Indians, you just said that because it can, it should. Might is right for your beloved USA, is it not? Then quit trying to be decent and claim otherwise.
 
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Ray

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I'd endorse you for this comment, except I've never, ever, ever seen you condemn @Ray for his blatant China-bashing in India-centric threads.

We get that you like India and you've got deep misgivings about China. But don't pretend to be neutral or objective about it.

EDIT: Actually, given how you responded in the NSA thread, I'm not even sure you like India all that much. You just said it doesn't matter whether the NSA has a right to be spying on Indians, you just said that because it can, it should. Might is right for your beloved USA, is it not? Then quit trying to be decent and claim otherwise.
Does this not prove that he is not pro India and instead has his own opinion?
 
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Ray

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@t_co and other Chinese posters,

Now when this is said

what your fellow countryman Ray said is wrong, when did we "dream up history" and then grab land based on those dreams?


here is a real historical fact for you Ray: india as a country never existed in history.

all the lands that india currently inhabits were grabbed from the natives based on dreams of something called "british india".

there is no historical basis on which india is a unified country. british india was a dream made into reality by western colonialists.
Tianshan ↑
And it is replied with

And what be this:

I am sure you will still call it China bashing!
 
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Tianshan

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I am sure you will still call it China bashing!
maurya empire, what a joke. :lol:

that was one random empire that lasted only about 100 years, that too several thousand years ago, no successor states. it is a one-off empire that has nothing to do with the country called india, which was a colonial creation.

india was created and named after a river which only existed in british india. today, the indus river exists almost entirely within pakistan, yet india is still named after it. so are the west indians and the red indians, the only thing that ties them all together is the british colonial period, which exerted power over the indus river valley, now in pakistan.
 
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Ray

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maurya empire, what a joke. :lol:

that was one random empire that lasted only about 100 years, that too several thousand years ago, no successor states. it is a one-off empire that has nothing to do with the country called india, which was a colonial creation.
Like Han Chinese are 93% in China, right?



This is the map of the British Empire in the 1920s.

Does it mean that there was no British Empire?

You do show great logic!

There was no China, as we see today.

Ancient China was built along the two main rivers—first the Yellow River (Huang He) in the north, and later the Yangtze in the south.

China is the product of imperialist and hegemonic suppression.

That is the reality.

Now, go to your town crier and yell - China bashing!

Truth was never the staple of Communist China and its acolytes who kowtow to the CCP!
 
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Tianshan

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Like Han Chinese are 93% in China, right?



This is the map of the British Empire in the 1920s.

Does it mean that there was no British Empire?

You do show great logic!
you are avoiding the simple fact again.

that india was never a nation in history, it was a unification of the kingdoms of the subcontinent by the colonialists, an entirely artificial creation. or as you might say, just a "dream" that was forced into reality by the forces of western colonialism.
 

Ray

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you are avoiding the simple fact again.

that india was never a nation in history, it was a unification of the kingdoms of the subcontinent by the colonialists, an entirely artificial creation. or as you might say, just a "dream" that was forced into reality by the forces of western colonialism.
I am not avoiding anything.

It is your selective logic that astounds.

Prove what I have said about China wrong.

India or Bharat has always been in a flux regrading the boundaries since it was devastated by historical onslaught.

China has been fortunate to have the Himalayas and the deserts that protected it for a long time in history.

The seasonal monsoon winds that blow north from the Indian Ocean over Asia produce vast amounts of rainfall in the Himalayan Mountains and the Tibetan Plateau. Some of this water, along with rich sediments, flows across the Chinese Plain creating fertile farmland. The fertile areas of Eastern China are surrounded by deserts, vast steppes, high mountains and impassable jungles. Because of this the early civilization of China developed more independently than those of the Indus, Tigris and Euphrates, and Nile River valleys, which were always in contact with each other. This gave rise to a feeling in China was the world, that it was "All Under Heaven", surrounded by lesser regions populated by barbarians.
China - History and Geography

Here is the expansion and hegemonic pursuits that created China.

It is animated to show what it was and what went to make it what it is!



I am not doing China bashing, but clearing some cobwebs that obfuscate your logic.
 

W.G.Ewald

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I'd endorse you for this comment, except I've never, ever, ever seen you condemn @Ray for his blatant China-bashing in India-centric threads.

We get that you like India and you've got deep misgivings about China. But don't pretend to be neutral or objective about it.

EDIT: Actually, given how you responded in the NSA thread, I'm not even sure you like India all that much. You just said it doesn't matter whether the NSA has a right to be spying on Indians, you just said that because it can, it should. Might is right for your beloved USA, is it not? Then quit trying to be decent and claim otherwise.
I have said in the past that "China-bashing" detracts from good discussion on DFI.

I suppose I "like" India, but the reason I am on DFI is because it offers the best place to discuss military subjects and world events that I know.

Yes, my views of China were well formed in the Cold War, even before my US Army service. I suppose I could be more temperate in my view of China today.

As for NSA, I try not to be too upset by things I have no control over.

Finally, it turns out that many of the people I "bash" or snarl at on DFI are actually on my "friends list."
 
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