Deng lives on as a dual icon

Two years after his death, Deng Xiaoping remains an icon for China's Communist leaders who exploit his dual legacy of political stability...

Two years after his death, Deng Xiaoping remains an icon for China8217;s Communist leaders who exploit his dual legacy of political stability and dramatic economic reform to justify their continuing monopoly on power.

8220;Deng has become a lightning conductor, used for lack of anything else,8221; said a western diplomat. 8220;The regime has made Deng take on responsibility for all the country8217;s recent history, including Tiananmen,8221; he added, referring to the bloody crackdown on pro-democracy protesters ordered by Deng on June 4, 1989.

The current leadership uses Deng to take responsibility for Tiananmen. But analysts say it believes the crackdown secured political stability and is equally determined to brook no dissent. This year, the anniversary of Deng8217;s death on February 19, 1997 falls in the same week as the Lunar New Year 8212; the biggest celebration of the Chinese calendar.

Since the beginning of the week offices have shut down and there have been few newspapers. No particular events to commemorate Deng8217;sdeath at the age of 92 have been announced. But next month Deng Xiaoping Theory, containing his ideas on how to gain wealth responsibly for the good of all the people, will become part of the Constitution during a vote at the annual full session of China8217;s parliament, the National People8217;s Congress.

And his main economic tenet, the need for private enterprise, is also due to become part of the Constitution. Deng was purged during the Maoist Cultural Revolution of 1966-76 but returned to power in the late 1970s. He gradually retreated from the political scene in the 1990s.

He leaves behind two contrasting images 8212; a reformer who enabled one-fifth of humanity to take part in an unprecedented economic leap forward and a ruthless dictator who called in the Army to crush six weeks of pro-democracy protests. By honouring Deng, the Chinese leadership retains these two images of economic success coupled with 20 years of political stability to justify a continuation of their own power. With the approach of the10th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre, the team put in place by Deng at the height of the repression, which cost hundreds of lives, is still in power and equally determined not to tolerate opposition.

President and communist party Chief Jiang Zemin vowed at the end of last year 8220;to nip in the bud8221; all attempts at social and economic destabilisation. Three leaders of a fledgling Opposition party 8212; the first to challenge the communist party8217;s 50-year monopoly on power 8212; were sentenced to heavy jail terms.

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Only months after Deng8217;s death China was grappling with a regional economic crisis sparked by the de facto devaluation of the Thai baht in July 1997. The crisis slowed the economy just as China was launching a painful restructuring of its lumbering state industries 8212; an extension of the reforms launched by Deng 20 years ago. The millions of layoffs and the economic crisis have led to rising discontent, especially outside the capital. There have been regular reports of often violentdemonstrations by peasants burdened by crippling taxes, or by sacked workers denouncing corrupt officials.

At the end of last year Beijing solemnly marked the 20th anniversary of the launch of Deng8217;s reforms, recalling a crucial meeting of the party8217;s central committee in December 1978.