The 1978-1981 Democracy Wall Movement and the Reformists in the Communist Party Leadership after Mao’s Death
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.25365/jeacs.2021.2.127-167Keywords:
Democracy Wall Movement, dazibao, Forum on Theoretical Work, Deng Xiaoping, reform factionAbstract
In late 1978, two years after Mao’s death, a reform debate on a wide range of economic and political issues erupted under Deng Xiaoping’s leadership. Groups of young people demanded liberties and a democratisation of the political system. They published their demands on big-character posters (dazibao) and in small independent journals in a number of cities – a movement soon called the “Democracy Wall Movement” or “Spring of Peking”. Some reformers in the communist leadership were attracted by this grassroots movement of young citizens. Heated debates involved even the highest levels of the Party hierarchy. Deng Xiaoping had at first praised the role of critical opinions, but later, in his famous speech on the Four Basic Principles, the sympathisers of this grassroots movement were eventually stopped by him. Based on interviews with activists and the memoirs of some reformist party cadres, this article traces the flow of information towards the leadership, cross-relationships between reform activists inside and outside the CCP, and the evolving roles of party leaders such as Deng Xiaoping and Hu Yaobang.
Downloads
References
Baum, Richard. 1995. Burying Mao: Chinese politics in the age of Deng Xiaoping. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.
Black, George; Munro, Robin. 1993. Black Hands of Beijing: Lives of Defiance in China’s Democracy Movement. New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Brødsgaard, Kjeld Erik. 1981. “The Democracy Movement in China, 1978-1979: Opposition Movements, Wall Poster Campaigns, and Underground Journals.” Asian Survey 21: 7, 747–774. https://doi.org/10.2307/2643619.
Chen Yan 陳彥. 2006. “‘Minzhuqiang yundong’ ji qi lishi diwei ‘民主牆運動’及其歷史地位 (The “Democracy Wall Movement” and its place in history).” Modern China Studies 2006: 2. https://www.modernchinastudies.org/cn/issues/past-issues/92-mcs-2006-issue-2/956-2012-01-05-15-35-10.html.
Cheng Zhongyuan 程中原; Li Zhenghua 李正華; Wang Yuxiang 王玉祥. (1995) 2008. Zhuanzhe niandai – 1976-1981 de Zhongguo 轉折年代：1976–1981年的中國 (Pivotal Years – China 1976-1981). Beijing: Zhongyang Wenxian Chubanshe 中央文獻出版社 (Central Documents Publishing House).
Christiansen, Flemming; Posborg, Susanne; Wedell-Wedellsborg, Anne. 1981. Die demokratische Bewegung in China, Revolution im Sozialismus? (The democratic movement in China, revolution under socialism?). München: Simon und Magiera.
Ding Dong 丁東; Xing Xiaoqun 邢小群 (eds.). 2015 (interviews conducted in 2008-2009). Bashi niandai de Zhongguo gaige yaozhe neimu – qinlizhe koushu shilu 八十年代中國政改夭折內幕 – 親歷者口述實錄 (How China’s political reforms of the 80s came to an early end – recordings of eye-witness accounts). Hong Kong: Dashan Wenhua Chubanshe.
Garside, Roger.1992. Coming Alive: China after Mao. New York, NY: Mentor Books.
Goldman, Merle; MacFarquhar, Roderick (eds.). 1999. The Paradox of China’s Post-Mao Reforms. Harvard Contemporary China Series. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
Hu Jiwei 胡績偉. 2004. Hu Yaobang yu Xidan Minzhuqiang 胡耀邦與西單民主牆 (Hu Yaobang and the Xidan Democracy Wall). boxun.com (USA), 22.4.2004, Retrieved February 4, 2014. https://bnn.co/news/gb/z_special/2004/04/2004042-20644.shtml.
Hu Jiwei. 2011. Translation by Andrew Chubb. Hu Yaobang and the Xidan Democracy Wall. danwei.org. Retrieved on April 9, 2021. http://laodanwei.org/wp/history-2/hu_yaobang_and_the_xidan_democ.php.
Li Honglin 李洪林. 2015. Wo jingli de Zhonggong lilun fengyun 我經歷的中共理論風雲 (The turbulences I have experienced in the field of theory under the Chinee communists). Ding & Xing 2015, 61–80.
Liu Qing 劉青 (1995) 2003. “Lianxi Huiyi: Minzhuqiang kangzheng de da qi (zhi san). Qi, Tang Xin yu Lianxi Huiyi 聯席會議: 民主牆抗爭的大旗, 三.七、唐欣與聯席會議 (The Joint Conference: banner of the Democracy Wall resistance, No. 3: 7. Tang Xin and the Joint Conference).” Beijing zhi Chun 北京之春/Spring of Peking (USA), February 1995. Retrieved on April 9, 2021. http://beijing-spring.com/bj2/1995/240/2003129144843.htm.
Liu Qing 劉青. 2014. Interview by Helmut Opletal. University of Vienna. n.d. “Spring of Peking”– Memories of the Chinese Democracy Movement 1978-1981. (Retrieved on November 11, 2021) https://pekinger-fruehling.univie.ac.at/index.php?id=189381&L=2.
Nathan, Andrew James. 1985. Chinese Democracy. New York, NY: Knopf.
Opletal, Helmut. 2003. “China’s Reform Policy and the Democracy Movements After Mao.” In: Kaminski, Gerd (ed.). 2003. China’s Traditions: Wings or Shackles for China’s Modernization. Wien: Berichte des Ludwig Boltzmann-Institutes für China- und Südostasienforschung 45: 53–61.
Opletal, Helmut. 1981. Die Informationspolitik der Volksrepublik China (The Information Policy of the People’s Republic of China). Bochum: Brockmeyer.
Paltemaa, Lauri. 2005. In the vanguard of history: The Beijing Democracy Wall Movement 1978-1981 and Social Mobilisation of Former Red Guard Dissent. Turku: Turun Yliopisto.
Rudolph, Jörg-Meinhard. 1984. “China’s Media. Fitting News to Print.” Problems of Communism 33: 58–67.
Schoenhals, Michael. 1985. “Elite Information in China.” Problems of Communism 34: 65-71.
Sidane, Victor (ed.). 1980. Le printemps de Pékin, oppositions démocratiques en Chine, novembre 1978-mars 1980 (The Spring of Peking, democratic opposition in China, November 1978-March 1980). Paris: Collection Archives.
Tang Xin 唐欣. 2015. “Xidan minzhuqiang he zhongyang zhengzhi tizhi gaige yanjiushi de huiyi 西単民主牆和中央政治體制改革研究室的回憶 (Memories of the Xidan Democracy Wall and the Research Department of the Central Committee for Reforms of the Political System).” In Bashi niandai de Zhongguo gaige yaozhe neimu – qinlizhe koushu shilu 八十年代中國政改夭折內幕 – 親歷者口述實錄 (How China’s political reforms of the 80s came to an early end – recordings of eye-witness accounts) edited by Ding Dong 丁東; Xing Xiaoqun 邢小群 (eds.). 1–27. Hong Kong: Dashan wenhua chubanshe 大山文化出版社.
University of Vienna. n.d. “Spring of Peking” – Memories of the Chinese Democracy Movement 1978-1981. Retrieved November 11, 2021. https://beijing-spring.univie.ac.at/.
Vogel, Ezra F. 2013. Deng Xiaoping and the Transformation of China. Cambridge, MA and London: Harvard University Press.
Wang Juntao 王軍濤. 2014. Interview by Helmut Opletal. University of Vienna. n.d. Retrieved November 11, 2021. https://beijing-spring.univie.ac.at/index.php?id=189357&L=2.
Wang Ruoshui 王若水. 1994. “Guanyu Minzhuqiang de yiduan wangshi 關於民主牆的一段往事 (What happened at the Democracy Wall).” Retrieved on April 9, 2021. http://www.wangruoshui.net/CHINESE/mingzhuwall.htm.
Wang Yong’an 王永安, Zhou Xiuqiang 周修強. 1979[?]. Guizhou “Qimengshe” shi mo ji 貴州“啟蒙社”始末記 (The story of the “Enlightenment Society” of Guizhou). Beijing. Retrieved April 9, 2021. http://prchistory.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/WANGSHI_No99.pdf.
Xu Wenli 徐文立. 2014. Interview by Helmut Opletal. University of Vienna. n.d. “Spring of Peking” – Memories of the Chinese Democracy Movement 1978-1981. Retrieved on November 8, 2021. https://beijing-spring.univie.ac.at/index.php?id=189354&L=2.
Yang Jisheng 楊繼繩. 1998. Deng Xiaoping shidai 鄧小平時代 (The era of Deng Xiaoping). Beijing: Zhongyang bianyi chubanshe.
Yu Guangyuan 於光遠. (2004) 2017. Edited by Ezra Vogel and Steven I. Levine. Deng Xiaoping Shakes the World. An Eyewitness Account of China’s Party Work Conference and the Third Plenum (November - December 1978). Norwalk, CT: EastBridge.
Zhang Xianyang 張顯揚. 2015. “Lilun Gongzuo Wuxuhui de yuanqi, guocheng he yiyi 理論工作務虛會的緣起、過程和意義 (Origins, process and significance of the Forum on Theoretical Work).” In Bashi niandai de Zhongguo gaige yaozhe neimu – qinlizhe koushu shilu 八十年代中國政改夭折內幕 – 親歷者口述實錄 (How China’s political reforms of the 80s came to an early end – recordings of eye-witness accounts) edited by Ding Dong 丁東; Xing Xiaoqun 邢小群. 29–60. Hong Kong: Dashan wenhua chubanshe.
Zhonggong zhongyang, guowuyuan guanyu chuli feifa kanwu feifa zuzhi he youguan wenti de zhishi (1981 nian 2 yue 20 ri) 中共中央、國務院關於處理非法刊物非法組織和有關問題的指示（一九八一年二月二十日） (Directive by the CPC Central Committee and the State Council on dealing with illegal publications, illegal organizations and related issues. February 20, 1981). Renmin Wang 人民網 (People’s Daily Online). [n.d.] (Retrieved on December 20, 2021) http://cpc.people.com.cn/GB/4519192.html.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2021 Helmut Opletal
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
