On the Way to Institutional Synthesis: To the Rehabilitation of Bukharin in Chinese Science

Abstract

The article discusses the evolution of Nikolai Bukharin’s perception in Chinese scientific and socio-political discourse during the years of implementation of the policy of reform and opening up. The Maoist historiography described a prominent figure in the international communist movement, N.I. Bukharin as a person who distorted Marxist-Leninist teachings. As the policy of reform and opening up unfolded, Chinese historiography rehabilitated the historical image and legacy of N.I. Bukharin. There was a part of broad discussions among Chinese social scientists and economists regarding the interpretations of Marxist-Leninist teachings that accompanied and formed the essence of the political and ideological justification for the reforms. Sometimes the obvious parallel between Deng Xiaoping’s “socialism with Chinese characteristics” and the New Economic Policy (1921–1928) of the USSR is explained by the fact that Deng Xiaoping was inspired by the latter during his years in the USSR. The historical rehabilitation of Bukharin, in which the PRC was certainly ahead of the USSR, is associated with the interest of Chinese politicians and political economists in the New Economic Policy (NEP). It is difficult to prove a direct relationship between the Soviet NEP and the policy of Chinese reforms, and historical parallels are unlikely to be fully correct. But based on the Chinese material involved, we will show that Bukharin’s views, born in discussions about the NEP and reached the level of discussions about the essence of socialism, inspired Chinese political economy to search for new formulations of economic policy goals. Without the latter, the success of institutional reforms would be questionable due to their weak ideological legitimacy.