Cultural Revolution and Industrial Organization in China

It is Charles Bettelheim’s contention here that the primary aim of the Cultural Revolution in China was to begin the process of transforming the age-old pattern of the division of labour, thus opening up a new chapter in the history of the human race. He reports his own first-hand observations and inquiries at a Peking textile factory, showing the ways in which workers have been increasingly drawn into the tasks of management. He also examines the planning system at its federal, provincial, and local levels, concentrating on the extent and modes of popular participation. “This significant report highlights an aspect…