Sometimes we look at the People’s Republic of China and think, “Come on, they can’t be communist any more – half of them are overweight!” So why shouldn’t the Catholic Church make peace with their rulers? What’s wrong with inviting them to help pick a few bishops?
Well, I’m sorry to report that ideas do matter to those who believe in them and the Chinese elite are still communists at heart. You need to take communism seriously to see it.
I’ve just finished a couple of smashing biographies of Russian reds. Victor Sebestyen’s Lenin the Dictator argues that Lenin’s brand of communism, which is essentially what Beijing practises today, was and is a conspiracy.
