Gains built on solid foundations

Preserving traditions

"That may be true," Mackerras says. "But you don't hear about the cultures that are being preserved. It is regrettable that some cultures are disappearing, but the Party has tried hard to preserve some of those things with a reasonable amount of success. Modernization is bound to weaken traditions, and it does that everywhere, not just in China."

When the People's Republic of China came into being in October 1949, only 10 percent of the population lived in cities; today there are more people living in urban centers than in the countryside.

"That is an enormous change. I don't think many countries have changed so fast in that respect," Mackerras notes. "When it comes to urbanization, I think China has done extremely well by international standards. One thing you don't find in China is vast impoverished slums on the outskirts of big cities.

"Much of that is down to the Party as it pushed ahead with reforms for a prosperous China and a peaceful world."

Mackerras says he has seen major changes in China's healthcare delivery, not only in the urban centers but in the countryside as well.

The scholar says China has also done well in combating diseases and improving the quality of healthcare, which has boosted life expectancy enormously.

"Even infant mortality, something which used to be a major problem in China, has fallen to levels never seen in the country. That in itself is a major achievement," he says.

Is this due to the CPC?

The ideology of the Party is to look after the people. So yes, it deserves the credit, says Mackerras.

"Also, the people have been responsive to the changes that have taken place in China. They have been hard working and just got on with it.

"I think this is where many in the West find it hard to fathom. And that is how a country the size of China can transform itself in such a short period of time.

"And let us not forget the fact that China has eliminated absolute poverty … that is an extraordinary achievement. China has done more to eliminate absolute poverty than any other country."

Does the CPC deserve credit for that?

"Absolutely. It organized and implemented the policies," Mackerras says. "It deserves the credit."

As for politics, Mackerras says the country has been "evolving".

He says there is a "world of difference" between students in the 1960s and the students of today in China.

"I think today's students in China are much more aware of the world around them than they were 50 years ago. They are better educated and, more importantly, they travel… well up until COVID.

"This has made them more aware of the world they are part of and more confident … And why shouldn't they?"

Another area in which Mackerras says the Party has done "tremendous" work has been the status of women in China. Ever since the People's Republic of China was established and Chairman Mao Zedong made his now famous proclamation that "women hold up half the sky", their status has been important to China and it has risen drastically.

"Not only do they compete with men for professional jobs, they also hold down political positions locally, province and nationally," Mackerras points out.

"That is a major achievement. Women enjoy the same level of education as men," he says.