Abril 2018
Abstract
In post-Mao China, a group of Chinese intellectuals who formed what became the
New Left (新左派) sought to renew socialism in China in a context of globalization
and the rise of social inequalities they associated with neo-liberalism. As they saw it,
China’s market reform and opening to the world had not brought greater equality and
prosperity for all Chinese citizens. As part of China Information’s research dialogue on
the intellectual public sphere in China, this article provides a historical survey of the
development of the contemporary Chinese New Left, exploring the range of ideas
that characterized this intellectual movement. It takes as its focus four of the most
prominent New Left figures and their positions in the ongoing debate about China’s
future: Wang Shaoguang, Cui Zhiyuan, Wang Hui, and Gan Yang.