Books eae ROBERT ALDRIDGE The U.S. nuclear empire NUCLEAR EMPIRE. By Robert Aldridge. New Star Books, Van- couver. Paper $11.95. Available at People’s Co-op Books. It is significant that the author of Nuclear Empire, Robert Aldridge, who also wrote First Strike! and the Counterforce Syndrome, was design- ing ballistic missiles for the U.S. mil- itary in the 1950s and 1960s and now has turned his talents to exposing the Pentagon’s continuing covert and global nuclear arms build-up. When I first flipped through the 148 pages, I thought I could never really sit down and read this highly technical book word for word. But I did. It is heavy going in a number of chapters where the reader has to take a quick course in understanding such things as “high endoatmospheric defence interceptor” —a_ kinetic energy weapon intended to intercept warheads shortly after they re-enter the earth’s atmosphere. However, Aldridge has done a great job in des- cribing in detail the effect of the U.S. empire in major dreas of the globe as well as examining the newest weapons systems and the critical danger of nuclear war posed by U.S. command and control over nuclear weapons. His synopsis of the problem of the arms is important: “My conclusion is that it is the pursuit of profits by large companies which keeps the arms race running,” he writes. “This activity reaches beyond the lavish profits from Pentagon contracts and foreign arms sales. It reaches its ultimate in the behaviour of transnational corpora- tions which depend on nuclear protec- tion from competition and interfer- ence as they exploit the Third World. This exploitation is perpetuated as they keep Americans quivering in fear of the Russians.” Aldridge also concludes on a hope- ful note, outlining various approaches to ridding world of the nuclear menace. This book makes for an excellent up-to-date reference for those active and interested in the peace and envir- onmental movements. And if there is any feeling that working for peace is less urgent today, there are enough “horror scenarios” here to galvanize the reader into renewed action. — Betty Griffin 28 e Pacific Tribune, May 1, 1989 China’s rural reforms examined RED EARTH. Revolution in a Sichuan Village. By Stephen Endicott. New Canada Publications. $18.95 paperback. Available at People’s Co-op Bookstore. Red Earth is a moving and dramatic account of the struggles of the people of China as they move towards socialism. What makes it so interesting is that the story unfolds from the personal lives and experiences of the people themselves. Author Stephen Endicott, who was born in China of missionary parents, has the advan- tage of speaking fluent Mandarin, and so we have a first-hand account of life in a Chinese village from the first land reforms in 1951, through the “Great Leap For- ward” in 1958-61, The People’s Communes (1962-72) and The Cultural Revolution (1966-76) until the present day privatization of the family contract system. Endicott takes as his model the village of Ma Googiao, in Shifong county in the pro- vince of Sichuan. This, he says, is a very average village and would pretty well represent the true story of village China. And, since 80 per cent of the hundreds of millions of people in China are villagers or peasants, it is from them that any changes will come. When the People’s Liberation Army cap- tured the Sichuan province in the last days of 1949, Endicott writes, the peasants hardly dared to look up. “We won’t hurt you,” this army said, “We will divide the landlord’s fields and give land to everyone.” From then on the author lets the people tell their own stories: how they fought the landlords and divided the land; their first contact with students, teachers and intellec- tuals who travelled the country and explained to them about feudal exploita- tion; the discussion on socialism and a new society; the change from clan allegiance to class allegiance. All was not smooth sailing and it makes highly interesting reading as the peasants recount their experiences in forming co- operatives, solving questions on the division of the land and the relationship among landlords, rich peasants, middle peasants, and poor peasants. The peasants had not really consolidated those co-operatives, Endicott says, when they headed into the volatile phase of devel- opment known as the Great Leap Forward in 1958. He states that all the reasons behind the launching of the Great Leap are still not clear, but that one main cause was the wor- sening of the international situation as the U.S. remained unreconciled to the existence of the People’s Republic of China. The sua- den hardening of U.S. policy towards China threw the Chinese leaders into temporary confusion and dealt fatal blows to their planning, he reports. ; Between 1953 and 1958 the United States threatened China with nuclear attack seven times — during the crises in Korea, Indo- China and the offshore islands in Taiwan Straits. The Great Leap was a brief episode, a gathering of human energy on a scale sel- dom seen in history, Endicott says. It mobil- ized people across the country, including 500 million peasants, to convert surplus -labour into capital with the aim of produc- ing more iron and steel and creating agricul- ture and light industrial production. However, this period ended in disaster, with a national deficit of two billion yuan as well as massive starvation in the country- side, and by the end of 1961 leader Mao Zedong was forced to accommodate “retrenchments” in the collective organiza- tions. Peasants were allowed to extend their private economic activities through the “Three Small Freedoms:” private plots, free markets and side-line enterprise. From this period emerged the People’s Communes, accompanied by differences of opinion in the party leadership. Whereas Mao worried that the “Three Small Free- Election day at MaGaogiao village in 1984. doms” might be “leading to the capitalist road,” Communist Party general secretary Deng Xiaoping favoured allowing the trend to continue. It was in this more sober, cau- tious mood, the time of the People’s Com- munes, that an era of unusual social and economic development began. It was also during this period that the Cultural Revolution took place. It was meant to be a start towards the goal of a new and deeper stage of socialist revolution, emphasizing proletarian culture. However, it developed into a reign of terror with the young Red Guards running rampant over the country until they were quelled by the army in 1968. Today many of the Chinese people call it the “so-called Cultural Revolution” and although some recognize remarkable achieve- ments in this period, the living standards of the peasants were still low when Mao died in 1976. Under the leadership of Deng the collec- tives were broken up and more private enterprise instituted. Endicott says that “tea shop” conversa- tions these days focus on the ambiguities of ——. Mao and Deng: “Mao Zedong’s egalitarian collective policies,” and “Deng Xiaoping’y relaxation and breaking up of collectives.» This book has a wonderful and informa. tive section entitled “Barefoot Doctors, the | Village Clinic.” It takes to the road with them as they try to establish modern medi | cal and health care in remote villages. The role of women and family planningiy . depicted as the most intense. Chines, . women not only had to help establish a new, ] society, but fight an ancient patriarcha)_ order where women had no say at all Ove, any facet of their lives. ' Now, with the threat of over-population < and famine facing China, the governmentis ] trying to enforce the rule of one child peri family, with some very dramatic conse. quences. I think Endicott has written a very hon book. Nothing is hidden. The mistakes, th tragedies and the triumphs are all there, an we have a much better understanding of the . Chinese people and the problems they still face. Greetings on May Day — Ukrainian Services Centre %° 873 East Hastings Street Vancouver, B.C. 253-8642 Souvenirs, gift items, records from the USSR Open Tues. to-Sat., 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. NM Greetings to our members and supporters on this International Holiday of Workers. Our fraternal association has been in existence for over 60 years serving the working people of Canada. For information about what the Workers’ Benevolent Association can do for you, telephone: 274-5642 Workers’ Benevolent Association, District Committee and Branch 33 805 East Pender Street, Vancouver, B.C.