Chiang Ching-kuo learned govt at the knee of Joseph Stalin?

[82riceballs]

I was reading an article from Asia Times and came across the following passage:

When Chiang Kai-shek died in 1975, he was succeeded by Chiang Ching-kuo. The younger Chiang was, by all accounts, a more efficient and more brutal leader, [color=red]having learned government at the knee of Joseph Stalin.[/color] Chiang Ching-kuo died in 1988.

What’s that supposed to mean?

[Dr_McCoy]

He went to Russia to go to school and then was held hostage by Stalin.

[Big_Fluffy_Matthew]

[quote=“Dr. McCoy”]He went to Russia to go to school and then was held hostage by Stalin.[/quote]You mean Stalin’s knee ?

When you’re three and your mum is teaching you calculus, you would sit on her knee. It’s one of those metaphor type thingies.

[Bu_Lai_En]

The early KMT was very matey with communist Russia. They sent many people there to study. I think CCK was there for about ten years. After CKS purged the communits and started fighting them instead, they sent their guys off to Nazi germany to learn the ropes instead. The internal structure of the KMT is still based on the Leninist model.

Brian

[82riceballs]

Thanks! Wish my mum taught me calculus when I was 3…

The internal structure of the KMT is still based on the Leninist model.

So the KMT is technically Communist? (or is there a difference between Leninism & Communism?)
I don’t quite understand Leninism, so this is kinda confusing for me.

[Screaming_Jesus]

When you’re three and your mum is teaching you calculus, you would sit on her knee. It’s one of those metaphor type thingies.

The image that occurred to me was of Stalin and CCK wrestling, and then Stalin throws him down and vanquishes him by putting him in some kind of hold, with his knee on top of CCK’s body.

Or a midget CCK talking to Stalin, and he only comes up to the knee.

Communism: a general term including all kinds of weird groups, some of them not even Marxist.

Leninism: The variety of Communism that came to power with the Soviet Union.

Stalinism: Same as Leninism, except with Stalin in charge instead. Some cosmetic changes, such as renewed wartime use of Russian (as opposed to international) patriotic imagery.

To the extent that the KMT could be said to be Leninist, it would have to be in terms of its party (and later state) structure, since its leaders were explicitly anti-Communist. Although one could argue the point about SYS (whose writings lend themselves equally well to socialist, fascist, or democratic interpretations)…and the early CKS, who made a deal with them… (hmmm) Oh well, at least now the KMT and the Communists get along just fine!

[urodacus]

[Screaming_Jesus]

Then Ma Ying-jieou learned government from between the knees of Chiang Ching-Guo!

(rimshot)

[Dr_McCoy]

@Big Fluffy Matthew

When you’re three and your mum is teaching you calculus, you would sit on her knee. It’s one of those metaphor type thingies.

The knee would be a local maximum. Find the zeros to get the other knee. But the local minimum?
Mini-mum