Second wave

Author: Wang Haoming
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-04-01
Features: Every step forward in history requires full enlightenment of thought. Following the broad-minded ideological liberation movement of the 1980s, Chinese social thought surged again in the 21st century, sparking the [Second Wave] of ideological enlightenment, this time grounded and starting from the economy. If the focus of discussions in the 1980s and 90s was on whether to adopt socialism or capitalism, whether to reform, and whether to advance the market economy system, then now the question is: what direction to uphold in reform and what kind of market economy system to establish. The entire debate is mixed with ideological disputes, and reflecting on reform can easily slip into anti-reform. It can be predicted that the reform consensus formed in this major debate will provide direction and momentum for the next phase of reform, and will also validate Deng Xiaoping's important argument that [Reform is China's second revolution].