Foreign scholars have paid close attention to Deng Xiaoping since reform and opening-up in the late 1970s. They probed his life story, contributions to the country and theories. Their research gradually extended to new fields, including Chinese reform history and comparison of Chinese reforms with those in the Soviet Union.

The earliest research began before the 1970s. Since the 1940s, foreign media and academic circles have researched Deng. Decorated US Marine Corps general officer Evans Carlson (1896-1947) first mentioned Deng’s works in his book Twin Stars of China (1940).

The second period of research was between the late 1970s and late 1980s. During this time, reform and opening-up led by Deng had a profound impact on China’s economy and society. International academic circles thereafter started to focus on Deng and his reforms.

The third period, from the early 1980s to early 1990s, was characterized by scholars’ fading enthusiasm for Deng. Some Western scholars and media criticized China, predicting it would have the same fate as the collapsed Soviet Union. However, a few pro-China and pro-socialist scholars still steadfastly studied Deng and his theories.

The fourth period was between 1992 and 1997. China’s reform and opening-up and socialist development accelerated following Deng’s landmark “southern tour” and the 14th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC), both of which were in 1992. Foreign scholars during this period reviewed Deng’s political and economic claims and continued in-depth research into his theories.

The fifth period, which started in 1997 following Deng’s death at 93, is characterized by further deepening of research. As Deng Xiaoping Theory was entrenched into the CPC’s Constitution as a guiding ideology at the 15th CPC National Congress in 1997 and China’s comprehensive national power and international influence continued to rise, foreign scholars deepened their research of Deng from an international perspective. During this period, their research paid greater attention to democracy, rule of law, the market economy and economic reforms.

Influenced by the Western research paradigm, foreign scholars pay greater attention to personality characteristics in their research. Many scholars drew comparisons between Deng and other CPC leaders, including Mao Zedong and Zhou Enlai. Deng was characterized by his pragmatic temperament. In addition, they also gave a high evaluation of Deng’s historical status.

Reform and opening-up is at the core of Deng Xiaoping Theory. Foreign scholars recognized the value of reform and opening-up, regarding it as a “peaceful and gradual revolution.” They also made an overall study of Deng’s thoughts of political, economic and cultural reforms.

However, some foreign scholars claimed that Deng Xiaoping Theory is fundamentally different from Marxism; others held that Deng Xiaoping Theory represents a succession and development of Marxism, regarding it as a “developing Marxist theory in China” and “more orthodox Marxism-Leninism theory.”

There are also opposite viewpoints on the relationship of Deng Xiaoping Theory and Mao Zedong Thought. Some scholars claim that Deng Xiaoping Theory is completely opposite to Mao Zedong Thought, while others consider that many of Deng’s ideas were derived from Mao. In correcting Mao’s errors in his later years, Deng convinced Marxists by realizing China’s modernization.

Foreign scholars prefer to research Deng and his theories from the perspectives of global and Chinese development, Chinese traditional culture and Deng’s life experience. All research methods are worthy points of reference for Chinese scholars.

Of course, limitations of ideology, stance, ways of thinking and research conditions mean there is still much room for improvement in foreign scholars’ research that is hampered by one-sided conclusions lacking dialectical analysis.

The author is the director of the Research Center for Overseas Sinology at the Beijing Union University.

The Chinese version appeared in Chinese Social Sciences Today, No. 628, August 1, 2014.
The Chinese link: http://ex.cssn.cn/djch/djch_djchhg/dengxiaopingyugaigekaifangdezhongguo/201408/t20140801_1275844.shtml

Translated by Chen Meina
Revised by Tom Fearon