Why China is still Communist.

China Is Communist Through Socialist Governance and Achievements

China remains a communist country because it has used capitalist tools under socialist control to achieve massive social and economic transformation without becoming capitalist-ruled. Its development reflects a socialist path adapted to national conditions.

1. Communist Party Leadership and the Dictatorship of the Proletariat

The Communist Party of China (CPC) retains full political control and claims to represent the working class and peasants. This one-party rule echoes Marx’s concept of the dictatorship of the proletariat, where the state is used to dismantle class structures and guide society toward communism. There is no competing capitalist class in power.

2. Harnessing Capitalism to Serve Socialism

Under Deng Xiaoping, market reforms were introduced not to create a capitalist society, but to develop the productive forces—a necessary step in Marxist theory. China opened up to global markets and encouraged private enterprise, but key sectors remain state-controlled, including energy, banking, transport, and telecommunications. Capital is allowed, but it does not govern.

3. Achievements of Chinese Socialism

Chinese socialism has produced significant results:

• Lifting over 800 million people out of poverty, the largest poverty reduction in history.

• Universal primary education and high literacy rates.

• Massive infrastructure development—from high-speed rail to clean energy.

• Advanced technological innovation, supported by state-led investment.

• A growing middle class under Party leadership, not capitalist control.

These outcomes reflect the Marxist goal of improving material conditions for the masses and reducing class inequality—achievements rarely seen in capitalist developing nations.

4. A Socialist Transition, Not a Final Stage

Marxism holds that socialism is a historical phase leading to full communism. China’s “Socialism with Chinese Characteristics” is a pragmatic strategy: using markets to strengthen the economy while keeping Party-led planning and control. This echoes Lenin’s New Economic Policy (NEP)—a temporary use of market elements under socialist rule and the party will achieve socialism by 2050.

5. Anti-Imperialism and National Sovereignty

China continues to resist Western capitalist influence and asserts its independence on the world stage. Through initiatives like the Belt and Road, it promotes cooperation with developing countries, aligning with Marxist anti-imperialist and internationalist values to the 21st century.

China’s model reflects a unique Marxist strategy: using market mechanisms to advance socialist goals while avoiding capitalist domination. The CPC maintains political and economic control, and the achievements of Chinese socialism—especially in poverty reduction, education, and developmen are fundamentally post/capitalist.