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Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal – Vol. 9, No. 8
Publication Date: August 25, 2022
DOI:10.14738/assrj.98.12865. Xia D., & Tian, G. (2022). Shi Zhengyi on China Ethnic Minority Areas Economic System Reform. Advances in Social Sciences
Research Journal, 9(8). 216-226.
Services for Science and Education – United Kingdom
Shi Zhengyi on China Ethnic Minority Areas Economic System
Reform
Dongming Xia, Guang Tian
Huaihua University
ABSTRACT
This article introduces Professor Shi Zhengyi’s early theoretical thinking on
reforming the Chinese ethnic minority economic system. Due to historical and
political reasons, China had built a planned economic system after the founding of
the People’s Republic of China before the reform. That economic system helped
China develop its industries. But that rigid economic system became incompatible
with product development, especially in ethnic minority areas. Ethnic minority
areas were backward in production and unbalanced in development. After 1978,
China gradually built its new socialist economic system, a planned commodity
economy based on public ownership. It suggested that in this economic system
reform, the minority autonomous areas should be open to foreign countries,
introduce advanced technology and investment, and develop import and export
trade. At the same time, the minority autonomous areas should strengthen
economic cooperation with other regions. Ethnic minority areas must also carry
out comprehensive economic system reform, which should fully consider the
specific characteristics of these areas, especially the ethnic and regional factors.
Keywords: China ethnic minority area; self-sufficient natural economy; unbalanced
; economic system reform; ethnic feature; regional characteristics
INTRODUCTION
From 1949 to 1976, China finished industrialization and built its national economic system.
But China’s economic efficiency is backward to that of countries and regions with rapid
development, and its economic vigor is also insufficient. In 1978, China’s politics changed
considerably. China’s economy began to reform. It effectively promoted the transformation
from a planned economy to a market economy. Chinese leaders are aware that the market is
conducive to promoting economic efficiency and vitality and put forward the idea of
respecting the autonomy of economic subjects, which has triggered a wave of independent
operation of farmers and urban self-employed operators across the country. The complexity
of the economic system in Chinese ethnic minority areas and the difficulty of its reform
required considering ethnic and regional elements to establish a new economic system in
ethnic minority areas. Professor Shi stated three principles in studying ethnic minority
economy: integrity, interrelation and optimization (Shi, 1984).
Professor Shi proposed the comprehensive opening-up policy for ethnic minority areas be an
international and domestic two-way opening and circulation (Shi, 1985). Professor Shi
believed the substantial resource advantages of the western region would play an invaluable
role in the westward shift of national construction priorities (Shi, 1996). Professor Shi
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Xia D., & Tian, G. (2022). Shi Zhengyi on China Ethnic Minority Areas Economic System Reform. Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal, 9(8).
216-226.
URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.14738/assrj.98.12865
proposed ethnic minority areas adjust measures to local conditions and give full play to local
advantages. Ethnic minority areas should develop comprehensively and strengthen horizontal
economic ties between regions. Professor Shi indicated the unbalance and backwardness of
the economy in ethnic minority areas are more desirable and suitable for diverse economic
forms and management styles. He also stressed the characteristics of ethnic minority areas
mainly included the following aspects: ethnic, regional, backward, complex, and international
(Shi, 1984).
This article introduces Professor Shi Zhengyi’s early theoretical thinking and primary
contributions to reforming the Chinese ethnic minority economic system. The contents in this
article came from the collected works of Shi Zhengyi (2001), and we just edited and sorted
them. So, the theoretical contribution of this article is attributed to Professor Shi Zhengyi. We
will take the whole responsibility for all mistakes in this article.
THE FOUNDATIONS OF CHINA’S ECONOMIC SYSTEM
Before founding the People’s Republic of China, China was a semi-colonial and semi-feudal
society. China’s economy was highly backward then, and the self-sufficient natural economy
had an absolute advantage. Therefore, the “Natural Economic Theory” inevitably negatively
influenced the construction of China’s economic system.
The Chinese revolution was a process of long-term armed struggle. The “supply system” of
military communism was formed in the harsh war environment. It made an essential
contribution to the victory of the revolution. The old revolutionaries were familiar with the
system and quite used to it. Therefore, the economic system formed after the establishment of
New China was inevitably mixed with factors of the supply system.
The imperialist invasion brought great disaster to China’s people of all ethnic groups. This
naturally made the masses hate and despise Western countries. In addition, Western
countries have adopted economic blockade policies against New China. Therefore, to build
China’s new economic system, the Chinese people did not want to absorb western capitalist
countries’ economic management methods. In addition, people couldn’t do so even if they
wanted to.
In building a new socialist economic system, China’s guiding ideology was “leaning to one
side” and “comprehensively learning from the Soviet Union.” In this process, China learned a
lot of valuable things. However, we inevitably accepted many useless and even harmful items
to our country in the meantime. For example, from the perspective of the economic system,
the degree of national concentration was too high, the production of goods was restricted, and
the law of value was ignored. These disorders greatly impacted the economic system
established in China in the early days.
In socialist transformation, China successfully utilized, restricted, and transformed capitalist
industry and commerce. However, the practice of unified purchase and exclusive sales
implemented during the transformation was kept in the subsequent economic system. Under
the guidance of ultra-leftist thinking, China vigorously implemented the “great, public, high
(high speed), fast (fast transition)” strategy. This has dramatically enhanced the concentration