Against the background of hot and cold wars as well as imperialist threats of new wars, developments in China today have increasing impacts on the region and the world. Lin Chun’s Revolution and Counterrevolution in China (London: Verso, 2021) returns to the roots of the Communist revolution and its transmutations, cutting through many ideological clichés. It stands out as a truly impressive study, providing an original analysis of China’s world-historical transformations and hence changing position in global capitalism through market integration. Lin makes a powerful argument against the tendencies to either see the market reforms as an unquestionable continuation of socialist advance, ignoring structural reorientation; or denounce any revolutionary and socialist legacies and their lasting relevance to the present struggles. She reframes the historical narrative of modern China in a lineage of revolution and counterrevolution gauged with the milestone of 1949. By so doing, she offers a deep and concrete reading of China’s neoliberal transition, its implications for the reconfiguration of global capital and the price paid by the Chinese people.

In this seminar Lin Chun will talk about her book in the light of recent global developments as well as the difficulties for the Marxist left in positioning their critiques while thinking about what can be envisioned for the future of China and socialism more generally.

All non-King's based attendees must register by 12.00 on 1 November in order to attend the event.

SPEAKER

Lin Chun is Professor in Comparative Politics at LSE and the author of The British New Left, The Transformation of Chinese Socialism, China and Global Capitalism, and Revolution and Counterrevolution in China among other books and publications.