http://mrzine.monthlyreview.org/images/pb9681.jpgAccording to many, Robert Weil, in addition to his political activism and humanitarian principles, will be most remembered for his critique of China's reforms and his meticulous analysis of the subsequent state of affairs in China. He did not decry the positive effects of reforms on productivity, per capita income of farmers and urban workers in the early years of reforms when, according to him, it was carried out within strict limits to "provide a uniquely balanced system . . . [and in] the urban areas [particularly was introduced] with the promotion of small-scale entrepreneurship, especially among retailers, . . . [with] limitations . . . set on private exploitation" (Red Cat, White Cat, p 29). He is also unambiguous in mentioning how in those years "the broader masses . . . benefitted to a significant degree from rapid economic growth . . . [and t]he number of peasants in deepest impoverishment . . . dropped" (Red Cat, White Cat, p 30). A careful examination of Weil's critique of "market socialism" makes it clear that the crux of it concerns with the impact of the reforms in subsequent years, especially with regard to modern industrial enterprises or large professional institutions as the latter's scale did not go "easily . . . with . . . the kinds of socialistic restraints which had earlier been imposed on small-scale entrepreneurs" (Red Cat, White Cat, p 31). The same was the case with the state-owned enterprises. They all "require[d] massive outside investments and technical aid . . . [that] could only be obtained, given the rate at which the reformers were compelled by 'the market' to drive expansion, by turning in large part to foreign . . . investors" (Red Cat, White Cat, p 31). According to Weil, the mix of private entrepreneurial and socialistic elements which served the reformers so well in the initial period began to break down gradually under the class dynamics and productive requirements of large industry and global markets. Over the years, concepts like "iron rice bowls" lost their original meaning, job uncertainty showed up as a primary feature and informal or self-employed workers with very little bargaining power thronged the towns and cities of China. Red Cat, White Cat essentially challenges the inevitability of the reforms and calls for a reassertion of the path of socio-economic transformation through revolutionary struggles instead of the path of state-capital alliance, individual freedom and neo-liberal modernisation. Robert had deep faith in political struggles and movements undertaken at multiple scales without which he strongly felt no theory of sociopolitical transformation could be put to the test and applied. His involvement in struggles of diverse scales is a proof to this conviction. He always felt that in the course of struggles, both victory and defeat are important trendsetters as they help in changing many old, outdated conceptions and help build new revolutionary strategies based on the changed circumstances of the capitalist system. Defeats faced by political struggles could never affect his faith negatively as he considered that there is a "long historical pattern of apparent defeat, followed by further victories . . . not only in newer forms but greater strength than before" (Robert Weil, Is the Torch Passing? Resistance and Revolution in China and India, Setu Prakashani, Kolkata, 2013: 10).

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