Pro-Democracy Movements China 1989

Background CCP gains power in 1949 Cultural Revolution in 1966 Mao’s death in 1967 and the reforms that followed Importance of 1989

Death of Hu Yaobang Ex party- secretary Hu Yaobang died on 15 th April 1989 He had been an important figure in the political reforms Grief transformed into protests against the government

The Protest continues Mourning the death of a state leader was a legitimate action so the protestors could not be arrested or criticised for their actions. On the 17 th April approximately two thousand Beijing University Students marched to Tiananmen Square mourning Hu and protesting against the government. The protest grew to symbolise more than just grief about Hu 21 st April: 50,000 students march to Tiananmen Square and on the 22 nd Demand to see Li Peng

Why the students? Students were particularly badly affected by the new economic policies in China The Cultural Revolution had encouraged students to engage in politics Universities were the perfect place for the campaigns to spread, the campus environment allowing for dissemination of ideas Had a sense of safety from the police

Spread of the protest In May 1949 many students were questioning the government’s promise of a dialogue with the students and they begun a hunger strike Hunger strike attracts thousands of students and the support of ordinary Chinese citizens Protests spread to other parts of the country with foreign support

Repression of the protest and martial law Protest was eventually brutally repressed On May 19 th 1989, the government imposed martial law Students at first thought that the government would not use force Military began to use force on the evening of June 3 rd Government arrested thousands of political activists Number of civilian deaths unknown

Reasons for the failure of the protest Fact that the protest was student-led raises issues: No organisation to co-ordinate resistance No effective leader Fragmented student groups No unified voice throughout China Non—violent tactics employed were no match for ruthless Chinese military Methods of non-violence implemented were narrow

Impact of the Protest While the protest was brutally repressed, it was still important for a number of reasons It aroused student led protest in China involving around 350 Universities and colleges The system was exposed around the world as one of mass brutality and terror Government suffered diplomatic losses as a result Alienation of thousands of Chinese students at home and abroad Delegitimized the government among ordinary citizens