"There is currently a television show running called "The Party Secretary" (Dang Wei Shuji). This is a soap opera and it is all about how a party secretary deals with strikes in the work-place. The hero (the party secretary) upholds the interests of the private capitalists as long as they follow the law. The villain eventually works in a state owned enterprise and tries to use corrupt means to become rich. The director puts classic statements of capitalist ideology into the mouth of the party secretary. For example, in one episode a striking worker asks him "why is it that the capitalist makes so much more than we do?" The party secretary responds "This is because the capitalist takes a risk. You can always go to another factory and work, but if the firm goes broke the capitalist is out of a job and his capital." And if that isn't enough, in another episode
the secretary proclaims that working for the capitalist is working for socialism. Clearly they are trying to create a worker ideology that is somewhat similar to Japan (at least during the 80s) or the so-called East Asian model, in which workers sacrifice for the company and identify with the well-being of the company. The series had a number of Lei Feng's who give there savings to the capitalist when the firm is on the verge of bankruptcy. -- Michael Perelman Economics Department California State University [EMAIL PROTECTED] Chico, CA 95929 530-898-5321 fax 530-898-5901
