The year 1979 ushered in a new phase in China's long and continuous
revolu- tion. Currently, this new phase is being symbolically referred
to, by the Chinese leaders themselves, as the 'New Long March' (a
continuation of the legendary and historical Long March) in terms of
modernization, which comprises the Four Modernizations: Agriculture,
Industry, Science and Technology, and Military Defense. Such an
all-encompassing attempt at modernization may appear, to some at least,
to be something new, or may indicate a radical shift in her policy. But
upon closer examination, this decision seems only to reflect an
historical continuity in terms of the two major long-term goals of the
Chinese Revolution: 'national independence' and 'modernization' (or
'industrialization'). The former would make China strong; the latter,
wealthy. For, ever since the Opium War in 1840 and throughout the
Revolutions of 1911 and 1949, China has always pursued these two
revolutionary goals, though with different emphases at different times.
This has been especially true during the past three decades as this
twofold goal has dictated all of China's important policies, both
domestic and foreign. In other words, while the concrete policies may
have appeared to be lacking in unity at times, they have been formulated
with the specific intent of achieving national independence and
modernization. From this perspective, the New Long March marks the
passage of post-Mao China beyond the transition of succession toward the
continued pursuit of the same revolutionary goals.
