Political Developments 1982-97 Flashcards
What did Deng say about political reform in 1986?
‘All our other reforms depend on the success of political reform, because it is human beings who will - or will not - carry them out’.
What were the ‘feudal elements’ among the Party bureaucracy according to Deng (2)?
1) Party cadres had the privilege of a job for life, as long as they survived the purges. Many, even at the higher levels of the Party, were poorly educated, old and resistant to change.
2) Officials in the Party bureaucracy who abused their power, enriching themselves and their families, and behaving like feudal overlords over the Chinese people.
What were Deng’s institutional reforms (6)?
1) The clearing out of ageing Party members at all levels and replacing them with younger people, with a better education and more technical expertise.
2) He wanted a robust system for the supervision and removal of corrupt cadres.
3) He abolished the post of Party Chairman, replacing it with General Secretary, whose office was staffed with young and educated cadres.
4) Deng made the Party leadership more collective. Hu Yaobang and Zhang Ziyang occupied key roles as reformers. A rule was introduced the Party members could not stand above the law or make major decisions on their own.
5) He wanted the Party and the State to be more clearly separated.
6) He reformed the PLA, with older officers pushed into retirement, budget cuts and the restoration of military ranks (abolished during the CR). The PLA had representation on the Politburo.
Who was Deng Liqun (Little Deng)?
Rehabilitated in 1974, following his purge in the CR, he served as head of the Propaganda Department of the CCP in the 1980s. Although he supported the dismantling of communes, he thought Deng was straying too far from orthodox Marxist thinking.
Who was Wang Zhen?
A former PLA commander during the Civil War, and was known for being ‘incorruptible’. He was an advocate for the use of military force against Tiananmen Square protests in 1989.
What was the ‘conservative faction’?
A group, mostly consisting of ageing cadres, who were resistant to Deng’s changes. Instead, they defended elements of MZT.
Why was there a generational divide in the struggle over political reform in the 1980s?
Many of the ageing cadres felt threatened by Deng’s promotion of younger men.
Why was there an ideological divide in the struggle over political reform in the 1980s?
Many of the conservative faction were veterans of the Long March, and although many fell foul of Mao in the CR, they were steeped in Mao’s values. They were concerned that Deng’s economic reforms were undermining many of his socialist values which they had fought for their whole lives, and that his political reforms were depriving them of influence over events.
Who were some opponents to Deng’s political reforms in the 1980s (5 potential)?
Peng Zhen, Chen Yun, Bo Yibo, Deng Liqun and Wang Zhen.
What compromises did Deng make to appease the ‘conservative faction’ (3)?
1) Many old cadres only agreed to retire after Deng established the Central Advisory Commission (CAC), where they could have a supervisory role over Party decisions.
2) The launch of the campaign against ‘spiritual pollution’, targeting the growing fashion of Western haircuts and clothing among the young, individualism and the attitude of ‘looking to make money in everything’, and the revival of clan feuds and superstitious beliefs in rural areas.
3) Deng occasionally slowed down the pace of both economic and political reform.
What was the Central Advisory Commission (CAC)?
Est. in 1892 and abolished in 1992, it was chaired by Deng Xiaoping (1882-87) and Chen Yun (1887-92). Membership was only offered members of the Central Committee with forty years or more of service, making it an important forum for the Eight Elders to remain formally involved in politics, and have a supervisory role over Party decisions.
What was Deng’s campaign against ‘spiritual pollution’?
Launched as a concession to the conservative faction in 1892, it targeted the growing fashion of Western haircuts and clothing among the young, individualism and the attitude of ‘looking to make money in everything’, and the revival of clan feuds and superstitious beliefs in rural areas.
What were the 5 main reasons why pressure for political change increased during the 1980s?
1) The expansion of university education led to student protests.
2) A flowering of intellectual debate from the mid 1980s onwards.
3) The Open Door Policy exposed China to foreign influences and pressures.
4) Economic reforms fuelled social unrest.
5) The CCP’s credibility was damaged due to corruption amongst Party cadres.
How did the expansion of university education increase pressure for political change in the 1980s?
The expansion of university education led to an increase in student protests against poor living conditions on campuses, high living costs and the lack of intellectual freedom. There were student protests in Beijing in 1985, and more serious and widespread demonstrations in 1986.
How did intellectual debate increase pressure for political change in the 1980s?
From the mid 1980s, there was a flowering of intellectual debate, challenging the official orthodoxy of the CCP. Fang Lizhi (a leading figure of this movement), was an astrophysicist, who made a nationwide tour of university campuses in 1986. He called for people to ‘break all barriers’ and demand democratic rights and freedom.
How did the Open Door Policy increase pressure for political change in the 1980s (2)?
1) The Open Door Policy on trade and investment exposed China to foreign influences and pressures. An intellectual debate over ‘socialist humanism’ in 1983, leading to demands for equality before the law and respect for human rights, was partly stimulated with contact with the outside world.
2) Western leaders visiting China raised issues of human rights violations with PRC leaders, and Western governments had contact with leading activists (e.g. Fang Lizhi).
How did economic reforms increase pressure for political change in the 1980s (2)?
1) Pressure was put on consumers and workers by price and rent rises, lay-offs from factories to reduce costs and raise efficiency and harsh working conditions. This led to strikes.
2) Increased migration by peasants to the cities placed pressure on housing, leading to homelessness and begging in cities. An increase in crime, including armed attacks by gangs on trains and road transport, added to the perception of social instability.
