A new socioeconomic formation?

Philosophical reflections on China’s “new projectment economy”

Abstract

This article seeks to provide a more comprehensive philosophical framework for the proposed model of a “new projectment economy” in China. Developed by a research team of political economists and social scientists, the “new pro- jectment economy” offers an innovative theoretical framework to interpret facts on the ground in China. However, what is needed is more extensive phil- osophical analysis of what is at stake. Thus, the article has two main sections. The first provides a critical overview of the move from the “old projectment” as initially proposed by the Brazilian economist Ignácio Rangel, as well the key points of the “new projectment” in relation to China. The second main sec- tion turns to connect the proposal of the research team with Chinese Marxist philosophical analysis, in terms of the development of contradiction analysis, a reconstruction of China’s economic history since 1949, and a proposed dia- lectical transformation (Aufhebung) of both plan and market in the new era. Further engagement by the “projectment” research team with Chinese schol- ars and policy-makers should be the next step, for this would lead to mutual enrichment through complementarity and difference.