Ibrahim Khan

This essay examines whether the People’s Republic of China can be coherently interpreted within Marxist theoretical categories as inhabiting the primary stage of socialism rather than constituting a restored capitalist formation. Moving beyond surface-level indicators such as the presence of markets, private enterprise, or integration into global capitalism, the analysis adopts a structural approach grounded in historical materialism. Drawing upon Marx, Engels, Lenin, Mao Zedong, Deng Xiaoping, and contemporary Chinese Marxist scholarship particularly the stage-theoretical framework articulated by Cheng Enfu the essay argues that systemic classification must rest on the dominance of public ownership in strategic sectors, the hierarchy between planning authority and capital, and the subordination of private accumulation to Party-state governance. Through historical comparison with Lenin’s New Economic Policy and theoretical engagement with the concept of transitional development, the paper contends that markets and private capital can operate as subordinate instruments within a socialist political framework under conditions of underdeveloped productive forces. It further evaluates common objections concerning inequality, billionaires, and global economic integration, arguing that these phenomena do not in themselves determine the capitalist character of a system absent autonomous class rule by capital. However, the analysis also identifies emerging tensions within the Chinese project, particularly the growing fusion of socialist legitimacy with nationalist and civilisational discourse. This development raises theoretical questions concerning the compatibility of Marxist internationalism with nationally rooted developmental sovereignty. The essay concludes that China represents neither classical central planning nor liberal capitalism, but a historically specific, state-dominant market formation whose ultimate trajectory remains contingent on the evolving balance between socialist governance and capital expansion.

This research aims to determine the influence of brand trust and brand loyalty on Sociolla customers who are members of the SOCO community in Indonesia. This research uses a quantitative approach, with a sample of 200 respondents. The data analysis technique uses Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). The findings in this research found brand trust has a positive and significant influence on brand loyalty, so researchers recommend that Sociolla continue to maintain and improve brand trust with positive perceptions through dimensions of brand reliability, brand intentions, and brand reputation so that customers have trust in the brand and form brand loyalty.