Tiananmen Square Flashcards
(20 cards)
1978 calls for reform
nov 1978 democracy movement was set up in Beijing.
character walls criticised Hua and Mao for supporting the gang of four adn dismissing deng in 76
“human rights alliance” and “enlightenment group” push for democracy as the Fifth Modernisation
factors in why TS happened - economic inequality
- 1980s economic reforms under DXP incl Household Responsibility System and SEZs spurred growth but created disparities - eg workers in SEZs faced poor conditions and little pay, and migrant workers
- urban-rural divides widened, the 1985 Household Survey highlighted rural households had fewer consumer goods (radios, sewing machines), coupled with the 1984 reduction of agricultural subsidies
- inflation and economic instability, inflation reached 18.1% in 1989, contributing to political unrest. earlier attempts to relax price controls in response to the panic buying in 1988 led to panic buying
= poor management of the economy led to an erosion of public trust in the CCP, needing democratic oversight and accountability
factors in WHY tiananmen sq happened - political repression
int, ftr, pcn
- suppression of intellectual freedom eg 1957 Anti-Rightist Campaign, Cultural Revolution = legacy of fear and resentment among intellectuals and students who saw democracy as a means to protect free expression
- failure to politically reform, despite deng’s other reforms, the CCP retained tight control, not heeding public demands for pol reform. the sacking of Hu Yaobang in 1987 for sympathising with student demands for reform signalled the party’s unwillingness to liberalise
- party corruption and nepotism
1988 student demonstrations against corruption, reflected growing anger over party officials’ profiteering from economic reforms. 1980 public execution of Wang Shouxin for embezzling 536 RMB underscored systemic corruption, students thought could only be addressed thorugh democratic accountability.
factors for WHY TS happened - death of hu yaobang as a catalyst
- sudden death in april 1989
- he was a symbolic figure for reform, sacked in 1987 for his perceived leniency towards student movements and calls for reform
- death prompted large rallies in TS as as students saw his dismissal as emblematic of the party’s resistance to reform
- there had been a move towards oganisation with the formation of the BSAF anf BWAF in april 89. Hu’s death provided a focial point for students and workers to channel longstanding grievances into a unified call for democracy
factors in WHY TS - influence of global and domestic liberalisation movements
- global context, Gorbachev’s 1989 visit to china coincided with protests. this brought international attention and highilhgted the global trends towards liberalisation (eg Gorbachev’s recent reforms in the USSR)
- domestic precedents eg 1978 Democracy Wall movement laid the groundwork + Fang Lizhi 1986 tour of units advocating for democratic rights emboldened students to demand systemic change.
factors why TS happened - social and cultural
lg cr, edu gen
- legacy of cult rev - left scars wiht millions persecuted, schools closed and intellectuals to labour camps (5 mil youths rusticated between 1968-70 + purge of 70% of provincial officials, replaced with the militarised society, fostering resentment against arbitrary party power) = students in 89 saw democracy as a way to prevent such excess
- by mid-80s, 800,000 students studied abroad, exposing them to western democratic ideals
combined with the reinstatement of the Gaokao in 77, a new generation of educated youth emerged, frustrated by the lack of political freedoms to match their economic and intellectual aspirations
factors in why TS - party factionalism and leadership splits
- internal divisions - reformers like Zhao Ziyang advocating dialogue with protesters in may 89, while conservatices pushed for martial law.
zhao’s dismissal in may 1989 for “splitting the party” underscored the leadership’s inability to unify on reform, emboldening protesters to demand systemic change - conservative resistance - conservatives eg Peng Zhen and Chen Yun resisted DXP’s reforms as seen in 83 Campaign against Spiritual Pollution and the 87 sacking of Hu Yaobang. widened tensions and divides in the party = less united and effective.
leadup to TS - 83
socialist humanism intellectual debate, led to demands for equality before the law and respect for human rights to be enshrined in the chinese constitution.
1986 events in leadup to TS
- feng lizhi makes nationwide tour of uni campuses, calling the people to “break all barriers” and demand democratic rights and freedoms
- in summer, highest ranks of CCP debate political reform, some calls for more radical change eg free elections, multi-party system. but nothing came of it.
- dec, Hefei uni students students protested against not being allowed to participate in the selection of the head of their student union.
Movement spread to Beijing, Shanghai, Nanjing campuses.
events TS 1987
- the calls for democracy had gone too far for the conservative faction, Hu Yaobang was sacked as CCP General Secretary, accused of being slow to suppress movements and a sympathiser. replaced with Zhao Ziyang
1988 events TS
- students protests living costs on uni campuses, incr strikes
- then they protest in TS demanding action and human rights
- economic relaxation of price controls => panic buying => prices frozen for 2 yrs
when does gorbachev visit
may 1989
april 1989 events
- 15 APR Hu Yaobang suddenly dies => large rallies of mostly student mourners gathered in TS to pay respects, quickly evolved into a pro-democracy movement
- led to the BSAF (Beijing students autonomous federation) adn BWAF to coordinate demands for reform
- by end of april 100,000 people marched to TS and broke thru police lines, boycotted classes
- Deng allowed Zhao Ziyang to make a more conciliatory line to consider students’ demands. split both the party adn protest movement as some wanted to negotiate and others were more hardliners.
may 89 events
- 16-19 gorbachev visits beijing = world media came to china
- 3000 on hunger strikes
- zhao ziyang still trying for a peaceful resolution but the conservative faction increasing pressure on DXP for military crackdown
- 19th MAY DXP decl martial law and the PLA begin moving about 250,000 soldiers.
- 20 MAY, Beijing residents take to the streets, setting up roadblocks to stop troops, no shots fired and many soldiers are sympathetic.
- 21 MAY senior PLA mmbers write to DXP to protest the imposition of martial law adn state the army should “under no circumstances fire on the people”
- 22 MAY PLA forces ordered to withdraw to the edge of the city.
- 24 may Zhao Ziyang dismissed from politburo for having “split the party”
- 29 MAY many protesters drifting away and there are splits in the movement when occupation should end. students begin constructing the “goddess of liberty” statue
authorities begin arresting the students and BWAF members - 30 MAY 300,000 people visit the square to see the goddess of liberty, reinvigorating the movement.
june events TS 89
- 3 jun PLA begin to move against the demonstrators. first attempts by army to occupy the square were thwarted when crowds surrounded soldiers
10PM PLA units were instructed to clear the square by 6AM.
= MASSACRE
martial law is extended for the next two weeks
TS massacre stats from chinese govt
official death toll was reported at 200 civilian deaths
but TS is not acknowledged in china
CCP health report on TS
Chinese Red Cross issued an estimate of over 2000 deaths but retracted it immediately as CCP ordered the event’s suppression and erasure
genuine estimates of TS massacre
Hong Kong estimates 1000-3000 deaths
Soviets estimate 3000-7000 deaths
US estimates 1000-4000 deaths
smuggled CCP documents estimate 7000-12000 deahts
= massacre best estimated at 1000-2000 killed
chinese red cross provided suppressed injury counts of 7000-10,000
TS aftermath punishments
official figures suggest 1600 arrests and 35 people publicly executed
TS aftermath gen notes
DXP withdraws from public life - 14th sept resigned from last official position (chairman of military commission)
annual vigils held until 2020 censorship law
Jiang Zemin named as General Secretary and also paramount leader.
= Deng recognises the people have lost faith in the party so he
- Rectifies, not reforms the party and top companies
- Refreshes leadership
