u/ThePeoplesBadger - originally from r/GenZhou
It seems that based on what I have read:
- WW1 and the foreign-backed civil war utterly destroyed Russia and its population, but the Bolsheviks won out after a very long and drawn out period of devastation.
- Lenin introduced the NEP to begin to build the basis for an eventually socialist economy by developing industry and agriculture with similar practices to other capitalist countries (but without imperialism)
- There was disagreement in the Bolshevik leadership after Lenin’s strokes and passing on how to move forward. Some top party leaders suggested moving forward “at a snail’s pace,” but it seems that Stalin had a very “yes we can” attitude, introduced five year plans, and completely revolutionized the country/countries in socialist construction.
- When Stalin died, Khrushchev turned around and in his “secret speech,” condemned Stalin and hung all blame on Stalin for all of the problems in the USSR.
- Khrushchev initiated changes and reforms that were seen by China as extremely problematic and revisionist, contributing to the Sino-Soviet split.
- China followed some very similar approaches to building socialism as the USSR but also approaches unique to the material nature of China, hence “socialism with Chinese characteristics.”
- Mao dies in the 70s (right? I could have the dates wrong) and the torch is passed to Deng Xiaoping, and China opens up to foreign trade and meets with Nixon and China becomes an economic power on the international market.
- It seems like since then, China has been working deliberately and exactingly toward eliminating poverty, raising the living standards, and building up industries and trade across the entire spectrum.
Please correct any misunderstandings I may have above, as these are the understandings that form the basis of my questions.
- What were the reforms initiated by Khrushchev?
- What were the reforms initiated by Deng?
- How/why were the Khrushchev reforms revisionist?
- Were the Deng reforms revisionist, and regardless, why or why not?
u/abkhazian_patriot - originally from r/GenZhouI don’t think Khrushchev was a revisionist in his time. He was a pretty dedicated communist and helped other AES a lot. However, his denunciation and lies about Stalin simply for the opportunistic reason of consolidating his power against competitors dealt a massive blow to communism’s reputation in the USSR. Gorbachev even mentioned how the secret speech affected him. Not to mention the affect it had on alienating Mao and Hoxha, who both held Stalin in high regards. I’d say Khrushchev’s lies about Stalin are why people consider Khrushchev reformist since they were so harmful to socialism.
Compared to Deng, who never denounced Mao or belittled his accomplishments. I’d say despite the capitalist reforms, people in China and in the Party still have full faith in communism and still appreciate Mao’s contribution to their country.