NOBODY in his/her wildest dreams ever thought that the ‘Gang of Four’ political problem which afflicted China in the 1970s was going to repeat itself in a totally different geographical location and society several thousands of miles away in our dear Zimbabwe over 40 years later.
But that is what happened.
In this article we are going to explain what the ‘Gang of Four’ political problem was and how it arose in both China and Zimbabwe.
Furthermore, we are going to predict that the aftermath of the ‘Gang of Four’ problem in China, which turned out to be positive in the end, is also going to be repeated in Zimbabwe. This, therefore, should make Zimbabweans today look to the future with optimism.
The ‘Gang of Four’ was a political faction of four Chinese communist party officials.
They were later charged with a series of treasonous crimes. The gang’s leading member was Mao Zedong’s (former Chinese president) wife Jiang Qing.
The other members were Zhang Chinqiao, Wao Wenyuan and Wang Hongwen.
How did the ‘Gang of Four’ come about in China?
Towards the later stages of Mao Zedong’s long rule (27 years), Mao’s wife, together with her gang members took control of the power organs of the communist party and Government.
With the passage of time, when Mao’s wife Jiang realised that Mao was very old, she began to ‘disagree’ with those who were supposed to succeed Mao and in the end she insisted that she be named the new Chinese Communist Party chairman (president).
And so, using the media, among other tools, the Chinese ‘Gang of Four’ began to purge their opponents.
One of the top leaders who the gang got rid of from the centre of power was one Deing Xiao Ping.
He was put at the periphery of the party and Government.
On February 2 1976, the Central Committee issued a top-priority directive officially transferring Deng to work on ‘external affairs’ and thus removing Deng from the party’s power apparatus.
It is important to point out that Mao, who was then old, had directives issued in his name critising Deng who he could do nothing about it.
However, when he (Mao) died, and the ‘Gang of Four’ wanted to grab power, they were foiled.
They did not have the army on their side.
Below is a description of how the ‘Gang of Four’ was destroyed.
“A special 8341 unit (from the army) went to madam Mao’s residence at No. 17 Fisherman’s Terrace.
That night Wao Wenyuan (gang member) was arrested and the propagandists of the Gang of Four in Peking University were taken into custody.
All was done with quiet and efficiency.
In Shangai, the gang’s supporters received a message to come to Beijing for a ‘meeting’.
They came and were arrested.
Thus without shedding a drop of blood, the plans of the Gang of Four to wield supreme power were ended.”
The above story resonates quite loudly with the Zimbabwe one.
It took very much the same route as that of China.
Taking advantage of former President Robert Mugabe, criminals around him had a plan to take over the Government and party.
However, the army intervened under ‘Operation Restore Legacy’.
President Mugabe later resigned and Cde Emmerson Mnangagwa who had been treated like Deng Xiao Ping took over power.
But what was the aftermath of the destruction of the Gang of Four in China?
Deng, who had been cast away, returned to lead China on a completely new path.
Some called him the architect of a new brand of thinking that combined socialist ideology with programmatic market economy whose slogan was socialism with Chinese characteristics.
Deng opened China to foreign investment and the global market policies that are credited with developing China into one of the fastest growing economies in the world for several generations and raising the standard of living of hundreds of millions.
Supporters of President Mnangagwa predict that he is going to succeed like Deng Xiao Ping, now that his own ‘Gang of Four’ has been destroyed.
After all, they argue, both men got into power after taking power from leaders who had stayed in office for a long time. In the case of Deng, Mao had been in office for 27 years, while in the case of President Mnangagwa, former President Mugabe had been in office for 37 years.
Now, can President Mnangagwa turn around Zimbabwe’s fortunes the way Deng did in China, his critics ask?
The New Statesman of January 1 2018 in an article titled ‘The last days of Robert Mugabe’ by one Martin Fletcher, says President Mnangagwa can turn around Zimbabwe’s economy like Deng.
This is what the New Statesman says: “The Mnangagwa presidency might offer Zimbabwe one thing.
Economic recovery.
He (ED) is sharp, organised and business savvy.
He is more pragmatic and less ideological than Mugabe.
And unlike Mugabe, he understands the urgent need for reform.”
President Mnangagwa himself lived up to the New Statesman’s expectations in his inauguration speech when he said loudly and clearly that he was going to tackle the economic problems in the country head on with realistic solutions being offered urgently.
“In the immediate, the liquidity challenges which have bedevilled the economy must be tackled head on, people must be able to access their earnings and savings as, and when, they need them,” he said.
On top of this, in the medium-to-long-term, he told his audience that he was going to push vigorously to achieve the following economic goals among others:
l An investment led economic recovery which included foreign direct investment.
l Engaging international financial bodies.
l Repairing infrastructure like railways and roads, among others.
l Job creation.
l Growing tourism.
l Setting up a fully fledged market economy
On the ground, President Mnangagwa has begun implementing what he promised on the day he got into power.
President Mnangagwa will be visiting China very soon and Zimbabweans hope the visit will further inspire him to lead this beautiful country to the great heights China itself has already achieved.