China’s Communist Party at 100: the secret of its longevity
Ruthlessness, ideological agility and economic growth have kept it in power
ON JULY 1ST China’s Communist Party will celebrate its 100th birthday. It has always called itself “great, glorious and correct”. And as it starts its second century, the party has good cause to brag. Not only has it survived far longer than its many critics predicted; it also appears to be on the up. When the Soviet Union imploded in 1991, many pundits thought that the other great communist power would be next. To see how wrong they were, consider that President Joe Biden, at a summit on June 13th, felt the need to declare not only that America was at odds with China, but also that much of the world doubted “whether or not democracies can compete”.
This article appeared in the Leaders section of the print edition under the headline “Still going strong”
Leaders June 26th 2021
From the June 26th 2021 edition
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