Karl Marx In Wuhan: How Chinese Socialism Is Defeating COVID-19

ABSTRACT

This article compares the response of the Chinese state to the COVID-19 pandemic with that of the major Western capitalist countries. It collates evidence showing that China has mobilised unprecedented governmental, economic, technological, scientific and human resources in order to get the viral outbreak under control. In countries such as the United States and the United Kingdom, on the other hand, the response to COVID-19 has thus far been insufficient, and as a result these countries have not had anywhere near China’s level of success in protecting their populations from infection. Analysing the reasons for this disparity, the article concludes that China’s socialist economic and political system, along with the leadership of the Communist Party of China, have been indispensable factors in China’s extraordinary efforts to respond to one of the greatest threats to humanity in modern history.

KEYWORDS:

• COVID-19
• socialism
• pandemic
• capitalism
• China

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes on Contributor

Carlos Martinez is an independent researcher and political activist from London, Britain. His first book, The End of the Beginning: Lessons of the Soviet Collapse, was published in 2019 by LeftWord Books. His main areas of research are the construction of socialist societies (past and present), progressive movements in Latin America, and multipolarity.

Notes

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2 See, “Report of the WHO-China Joint Mission on Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), 16–24 February 2020.” Accessed March 21, 2020. https://www.who.int/docs/default-source/coronaviruse/who-china-joint-mission-on-covid-19-final-report.pdf.

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4 See, “China Probably Saved Hundreds of Thousands of Coronavirus Cases-WHO.” Reuters, February 24, 2020. Accessed March 20, 2020. https://www.reuters.com/article/china-health-who-medical/update-1-china-probably-saved-hundreds-of-thousands-of-coronavirus-cases-who-idUSL3N2AO2MY.

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6 See, “Is Boris Johnson Paying Attention to His Own Covid-19 Advice?” The National, March 11, 2020. Accessed March 20, 2020. https://www.thenational.scot/news/18299032.boris-johnson-paying-attention-covid-19-advice/.

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8 See, “Remarks by H. E. Qin Jian, Chinese Ambassador to Somalia, at the Awarding Ceremony of Chinese Scholarship in the Academic Year of 2019-2020.” Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China, September 3, 2019. Accessed April 6, 2020. https://www.fmprc.gov.cn/mfa_eng/wjb_663304/zwjg_665342/zwbd_665378/t1693881.shtml.

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11 See, Documentary: The Coming War on China, filmed by John Pilger in 2016.

12 See, “China Mobilizes to Combat Coronavirus.” Workers World, January 28, 2020. Accessed April 6, 2020. https://www.workers.org/2020/01/45847/.

13 See, “Full Text of Chinese President’s Speech at Boao Forum for Asia.” China.org.cn, March 29, 2015. Accessed March 20, 2020. http://www.china.org.cn/business/2015-03/29/content_35185720.htm.

14 See, “Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Geng Shuang’s Regular Press Conference on March 13, 2020.” China-CELAC Forum, March 17, 2020. Accessed April 6, 2020. http://www.chinacelacforum.org/eng/zgtlmjlbgjgx1/t1756481.htm.

15 See, “‘Big Problems’ in China Response to Coronavirus: Human Rights Watch.” News18, February 6, 2020. Accessed March 20, 2020. https://www.news18.com/news/world/coronavirus-outbreak-live-updates-563-dead-china-wuhan-hong-kong-philippines-hubei-japan-kerala-2489093.html.