Western Perception of Socialist Democracy with Chinese Characteristics: The Viewpoints of the French Left Wing Intellectuals and the French Communist Party

Abstract

ABSTRACTThis article presents and analyzes the various viewpoints shared by several representative French left wing intellectuals and by the French Communist Party (FCP) about socialist democracy with Chinese characteristics. It determines two main approaches concerning their analysis of Chinese democracy: a procedural approach and a substantive approach. The first approach stresses more the form and procedure. The second approach stresses more the content and results. One aspect that is often neglected is the nature of the state, which is determined by the relations of production, the class structure and the socio-economic basis of a given society. Therefore it leads to a misunderstanding of socialist democracy with Chinese characteristics. Indeed, democracy is not neutral, but directly related to the socio-economic basis and class nature of the state. The author believes that, even if in some aspects Chinese democracy is currently less developed than in some capitalist developed countries, it is more democratic by its orientation, objectives and nature. Socialist democracy with Chinese characteristics is a transition leading to communism. Only socialism can lead to a society profoundly democratic in all its aspects, a communist society, while it is in contradiction with the profound nature of capitalism.