Chapter 88 Chapter 16 The Fall of Socialism

The physical condition (of revolutionary Russia) rested on one indispensable key factor: that no market for underground power was allowed (as had once been the case with the Church).If once the European phenomenon of combining money and power penetrates into Russia, then it may not be the country, or even the party, that will be defeated, but communism itself. ——German philosopher Benjamin (Walter Benjamin, 1979, pp. 195-196) An official party program alone can no longer guide the course of action.More than one conscious thought, mixed thoughts and frames of reference, coexist today.Not only is this true in society, but it is also true in the party and among the leadership... In addition to official rhetoric, a dogmatic "Marxism-Leninism" can no longer meet the real needs of this regime.

——Lewin (M. Lewin in Kerblay, 1983, p.xxvi) If we want to realize modernization, the key is to be able to improve science and technology... Modernization cannot be achieved by empty talk, we must have knowledge and talents... Now it seems that compared with developed countries, our science, technology and education are 20 years behind ...The Japanese have been paying attention to technology and education since the Meiji Restoration, and they have spent a lot of effort.The Meiji Restoration was modernization done by the emerging bourgeoisie. We, the proletariat, should and could do better than them.

——Deng Xiaoping, "Respect Knowledge, Respect Talents", 1977 ("Selected Works of Deng Xiaoping", Volume 2)