Aspects of Chinese Experience in the Light

Aspects of Chinese Experience in the Light of Economics of Choice Dipavali Debroy This paper indicates how certain real life experiences from Communist China can be used to give concrete meaning to some elements of economic theory which have so far only been confined to esoteric levels of abstraction. It sketches the Chinese attempts to institute a needs based system of distribution and break down the barriers between mental and manual labour. It also discusses ideological training, reforming peoples attitudes and moral incentives. It then outlines how some elements of economic theory can be applied to the Chinese historical experience.