After Mao Zedong’s death in 1976, China started its new reform era. The new era contrasts sharply from its former era. After the failure of the Great Leap Forward and the Cultural Revolution, Deng Xiaoping started a series of reforms that lead to today’s China. There are many aspects that are different from Mao’s regime, but also many aspects they remain constant throughout the years. During the early years of the People’s Republic of China, the communist-lead party was still no part of the international community. It was not until the early 1970s when the country finalized its relations with others, and more significantly with the US and Japan. This might be a cause that indirectly pushes Deng to reform. In the Mao’s years, despite the fact
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Many intellectuals, especially college students and young people were looking forward to China’s new era change and expecting democracy. On June fourth of 1989, people protested in Tiananmen Square. Deng Xiaoping had two choices either to give the people what they expected or not. Although egalitarianism was much weakened compared to Mao’s era, the very central of the party of still be exclusive and egalitarianism still exist. The death of Hu Yaobang triggered the entire incident. People were unhappy at how the politics work inside the party and feel distant from it. Instead of granting the people what they ask for, Deng decided to take a firm action toward the protesters. By declaring Martial Law, controlling the media, and punishing the participants, Deng made it clear that economic reform did not equal to automatic democracy. Deng was sticking to the principles of the centralized government. The past failures in history, and the resemblance of the protesters to the mass in the Cultural Revolution might have been Deng’s concern. He did not believe China should be lead by the masses, because from past experiences it went out of control and created a disaster. From this day, the party’s position in making sure everyone follows the central’s plan became natural. This was nothing different compared to Mao’s era. At stages where democracy was thought to be granted to the public was again never
Many intellectuals, especially college students and young people were looking forward to China’s new era change and expecting democracy. On June fourth of 1989, people protested in Tiananmen Square. Deng Xiaoping had two choices either to give the people what they expected or not. Although egalitarianism was much weakened compared to Mao’s era, the very central of the party of still be exclusive and egalitarianism still exist. The death of Hu Yaobang triggered the entire incident. People were unhappy at how the politics work inside the party and feel distant from it. Instead of granting the people what they ask for, Deng decided to take a firm action toward the protesters. By declaring Martial Law, controlling the media, and punishing the participants, Deng made it clear that economic reform did not equal to automatic democracy. Deng was sticking to the principles of the centralized government. The past failures in history, and the resemblance of the protesters to the mass in the Cultural Revolution might have been Deng’s concern. He did not believe China should be lead by the masses, because from past experiences it went out of control and created a disaster. From this day, the party’s position in making sure everyone follows the central’s plan became natural. This was nothing different compared to Mao’s era. At stages where democracy was thought to be granted to the public was again never