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The CoStone Reader Recommends Vol. 18

2018.11.21

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1984

By George Orwell

    As one of "the dystopian trilogy", 1984 by George Orwell was published in 1949, which unfortunately foresaw what happened in the next decades after that. Orwell effectively explores the themes of mass media control, government surveillance, totalitarianism and how a dictator can manipulate and control history, thoughts, and lives in such a way that no one can escape it. “War is peace. Freedom is slavery. Ignorance is Strength.” Orwell’s novella is a warning for the human race. It highlights the importance of resisting mass control and oppression.


 

 

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To Live

By Yu Hua

Translated by Michael Berry

    To Live, one of China’s most influential books, portrays one man’s transformation from the spoiled son of a landlord to a kindhearted peasant. It is a heart-wrenching saga, written with beauty, suffering, defiance and hope. It highlights people’s tolerance to pains and agony and the tragedies brought by various campaigns. Yu Hua suggests that the very essence of literary work lies in people and humanity. To live was adapted for film by Zhang Yimou which was nominated as one of two greatest contemporary films together with Farewell My Concubine by Chen Kaige.


 

 

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Unbearable Lightness of Being

By Milan Kundera

    On September, 2019, when we were traveling in Czech, we talked with some scholars and researchers on Czech literature about the Unbearable Lightness of Being. They seemed indifferent to it. It was probably because they had gone through the tough times. Our generation still puts mind to the Czechoslovakian Prague Spring and the Velvet Revolution. It is a work of the boldest mastery, originality, and richness.


 

 

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The Metamorphosis

By Franz Kafka

    Reading Kafka’s classics is enjoyable. It challenges your thinking and norms. He devoted all his leisure time in writing. He trained as a lawyer and later was employed full-time by an insurance company. He is nominated as the founder and pioneer of modern literature of the world. The classics are the most enduring of all. The Metamorphosis is a fairly easily read Novella of Franz Kafka. He writes in an aloof manner full of legal and scientific terms. Yet his universe also has insightful humor, all highlighting the "irrationality at the roots of a supposedly rational world".


 

 

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Capitalism: A Short History

By Jürgen Kocka

    One who wants to fully understand capitalism should read this authoritative and accessible book on capitalism, Capitalism: A Short History, authored by Jürgen Kocka, one of the world’s most renowned historians and tenured professor of Berlin's Humboldt University. Featured simplicity and clarity, this book provides a concise and comprehensive history of capitalism within three chapters. It also addresses the idea of capitalism in the work of thinkers such as Marx, Weber, and Schumpeter. Kocka analyzes capitalism from the angle of culture. He believes that capitalism is more than an economic system but a branch of culture.

Rewritten by: Luo Xinying, Edited by: Du Zhixin, Wei Yiyi


The year 2019 marks the fortieth anniversary of China’s Reform &Opening-Up, once again, we meet at the turning point of history. What’s the next step for the game, is there any clear guidance? The answer is affirmative.

Our country is enjoying a good momentum of development, which does not come from the Washington Consensus nor the Beijing Consensus. China’s experience has proved that both the visible hand and the invisible hand are crucial: the visible hand, stands for the government-led reform, and would yield benefits for reform and opening up; the invisible hand, stands for the Marginal Power represented by the private sector, and would improve economic efficiency and tax collection, create jobs and employment opportunities.

Provided that we want to protect and expand the benefits form reform, three simple but mandatory agreements are to be made and followed: No.1 Private ownership must be recognized, protected and treated equally with public ownership constitutionally, both ownerships are scared and inviolable;No.2 Make further clarification of the principal position of market economy, “deepen economic system reform by centering on the decisive role of the market in allocating resources”, as President Xi addressed in the third Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Central Committee;No.3 Implement the guiding principles of “comprehensively promoting law-based governance” of the fourth plenum. The rule of law is essential for economic growth, irreplaceable to protect private ownership, and necessary to encourage innovation and entrepreneurship.

Above are three rules for us to avoid falling into the Middle-income Trap. Assuming that we are breaking systematic barriers to private enterprises’ participation in market economy, and boosting innovation and entrepreneurship of our society, then we are heading towards a promoting direction. We are marching in the path of light, regardless of the ups and downs of Sino-US relationship, the drop in GDP growth rate, or the monetary policy.

These principals also apply on knowing how better to run a business: don’t be hedged by rules and regulations at the beginning, pay more attention to your survival, and you’ll learn more when you start your second business.

For many years, Huawei has been the only Chinese company on the list of the Top 50 R&D Spenders. Regardless of the economy and its income, what Huawei has been doing is investing in its future, dedicated to R&D, continuously and resolutely. This provisional work underscores Huawei’s accomplishments, making Huawei anindustry leader.

So, there are standard answers on how to run a company,which could be summarized as concentration and professional dedication, continuous investment on innovation and trying harder in R&D. Entrepreneurship is also important, every single company needs entrepreneurs to push aside all obstacles and difficulties, to implement strategies and ideas. We, as investors, are destined to look for such outstanding entrepreneurs and their companies, invest in them and partner with them.

At this key point of history, a country, a company, or asingle individual, will all need to find the right path. Four decades after the Reform and Opening-up, it’s time to learn from our experience and stop “wadding across

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