C H I N A ' S L E A D E R S H I P ,
E X P L A I N E D .
BY SEAN CARRIE
- - - -
Hu Jintao graduated as an hydraulic engineer.
Wen Jiabao joined the Gansu Geological Bureau.
Neither of them is anything like the Chairman,
Or so they say. But both of them are good party
members, always respectful of the goal of Socialism
with Chinese Characteristics. And that's important.
Those two are the top guys, but also important
is Zeng Qinghong, born in Ji'an, also an engineer.
He is now a member of the political bureau
Of the CPC Central Committee. NPC chairman
Wu Bangguo is from Anhui. Which is no party,
let me assure you. Even under socialism.
Jiang Zemin's not dead; still pursues a better socialism.
Though he's only, now, in charge of army, not party.
Mr. Jiang was also trained, when young, as an engineer.
But he climbed pretty quickly in the bureau
-cracy, impressing all. Including the Chairman,
Mao, whose legacy few now regard as important.
Li Peng, that wily rascal, is also still party
to the rumblings and inner workings of Socialism
with Chinese Characteristics. And it may be important
to note that he, too, is a certified engineer,
trained in Moscow before the Politburo,
raised the ire of Mao, aforementioned Chairman.
a Standing Committee member is like a "chair man"
for the President, pushing in his seat at every party.
And laughing at his jokes. For the good of socialism.
So neither Jia nor Wu nor Huang is very important,
despite their all being designated "engineer"
in a pamphlet I have right here in my bureau.
This probably all sounds very overly bureau
-cratic, sounds like there isn't really a "Chairman
of the Board" at China, Inc. That the party
isn't really capable of instituting a real socialism,
especially when every position that's important
is occupied by an iron-ring-wearing engineer.
But the political bureau of the party functions well, still, Even without a proper socialist
Chairman. What's important is structure. Which is why a trained engineer at every post,
probably.
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