We are very pleased to invite you to a virtual seminar which will be given by Dr David Lane as part of the seminar series for the China Centre, Jesus College. The lecture, followed by Q&A, will take place from 5 – 6.30pm on Thursday 13 May.
Whither Socialism with Chinese Characteristics?
Unlike the European post-socialist countries, China has made spectacular advances consequent on its economic reforms and the transition to a state-led market economy. It has done so under the banner of ‘Socialism with Chinese Characteristics’. The lecture outlines what China’s leaders understand by this phrase. It considers the tensions between the objective of moving to socialism within the context of a market system, between plan and market, between private and public property. Alternative interpretations, sometimes labelled ‘political capitalism’, are considered. The impact of destatisation is discussed in relation to the rising levels of inequality and to a slowing down of human development. The lecture concludes by posing a number of scenarios for future developments.
Dr David Lane was educated at Birmingham and Oxford Universities. Currently, he is a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences, an Emeritus Fellow of Emmanuel College, Cambridge University , and a visiting professor at Peking University. He has written extensively on the USSR and post-socialism, Marxism and socialism, industrial societies and the world economy, elites and classes. Recent publications include: Changing Regional Alliances for China and the West (With G. Zhu) (2018); The Eurasian Project in Global Perspective (2016); (With V. Samokhvalov) The Eurasian Project and Europe (2015); Elites and Identity in the Transformation of State Socialism (2014); The Capitalist Transformation of State Socialism (2014). Recent articles have been published in Critical Sociology, The Third World Quarterly, International Critical Thought and Mir Rossii.
We warmly invite you to join us for this virtual seminar. If you wish to attend please email the China Centre Administrator, Denise Hayles (china-centre@jesus.cam.ac.uk) and she will be pleased to book a place for you and send you joining instructions nearer the time.
