Socialism with Chinese characteristics: China and the theory of the initial stage of socialism

The development of Chinese thinking on social ism is traced through from the recognition in the 1950s that it was at an early stage, transi tional to a higher, developed form. The theory of the initial stage in recent years is seen as giving some theoretical content to the concept often employed by Deng Xiaoping of ‘socialism with Chinese characteristics’, although Deng has avoided its use. It is argued that the theory of the initial stage does provide some doctrinal underpinning for a range of practical and pragmatic policies not otherwise seen as particularly socialist in their nature. At the same time the theory seeks to assure domestic and foreign groups involved in current economic reform measures that these policies have a solid grounding in theory and will not be reversed on a whim by either this or some subsequent leadership group.