In a speech to Chinese Communist Party members broadcast live from Beijing, Chinese President Hu Jintao warned that corruption would undermine party legitimacy and erode its power. The occasion of the speech was the party's 85th anniversary.
"Anti-corruption and building a clean government are an important strategic mission," said Hu, who is party leader as well as president. "We cannot slack off for one moment." He added, "If a ruling party cannot maintain flesh-and-blood ties with the mass people, if it loses the people's support, it will lose its vitality."
Since taking over the party four years ago, Hu frequently has expressed dismay over what he seems to feel is sinking integrity among its 70 million members.
Two things come to mind. First, anybody that's read Frederich Hayek or Ludwig von Mises already recognizes that communism, in all its forms, by its very nature is inherently corrupt. There is no escaping that. For confirmation of that fact, look to the efforts to shield the Chinese people from all of that dangerous information that can be found on the internet. Which brings me to my second point.
I seriously doubt there's been an upturn in corruption in China or the Chinese Communist Party. More likely, efforts to protect the Chinese people from internet borne heresy are failing. The result is that corruption previously unnoticed is now coming to light.
And that's a good thing.
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