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Hu Yaobang's Intellectual Network and the Theory Conference of 1979

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  12 February 2009

Merle Goldman
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Extract

The theory conference that took place from mid-January till early April 1979 was a turning point in the history of the People's Republic of China. For the first time at an official forum, Mao Zedong's thought was rejected and demands were made for fundamental political reform of the Leninist system of democratic centralism. The exponents of these views were a network of intellectuals associated with Hu Yaobang, who was the conference chairman. While Hu was not necessarily a democrat within the context of the Deng Xiaoping regime, the intellectuals associated with him could be called a “democratic elite.”

Type
Research Article
Information
The China Quarterly , Volume 126 , June 1991 , pp. 219 - 242
Copyright
Copyright © The China Quarterly 1991

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References

1. Zhongmei, Yang, Hu Yaobang: A Chinese Biography edited by Cheek, Timothy (Armonk, N.Y.: M.E. Sharpe, 1988), ch. 13Google Scholar. Much of the information on Hu's early life comes from this source.

2. Binyan, Liu with Ming, Ruan and Gang, Xu, Tell the World (New York: Pantheon, 1989), p. 74Google Scholar.

3. Panshi, Ding, “Comrade Yaobang as I understand him,” China Youth, 25 05 1989Google Scholar; JPRSNo. 89071, p. 7.

4. Liu Binyan's speech at Harvard University, 13 December 1988.

5. Chun, Lin and Yinho, Li, “It is necessary to bring democracy into full play,” China Youth, No. 3, 1978Google Scholar, reprinted in Renmin ribao, 13 November 1978; FBIS, 15 November, p. E3.

6. Ibid. p. E3.

7. Ibid. p. E9.

8. Ibid. p. E10.

9. Ibid. p. E2.

10. Weifen, Lu, “Here comes the judge to right the wrongs,” Guangming ribao, 19 09 1978, p. 4Google Scholar; FBIS 3 October 1978, p. E13.

11. Ibid. p. E17.

12. “A civil code must be drafted,” Renmin ribao, 24 November 1978; FBIS 5 December 1978, p. E6.

13. NCNA, 27 November 1978; FBIS 29 November 1978, p. E13.

14. Beijing domestic service, 30 November 1978; FBIS, 1 December 1978, p. E8.

15. Siwu Luntan (5 April Forum) 30 December, 1978, p. 1; JPRS No. 073783, p. 11.

16. Editorial, , Tansuo, 25 03 1979, pp. 1–4Google Scholar; JPRS No. 073421, pp. 29–30.

17. Selected Works of Deng Xiaoping (1975–82) (Beijing: Foreign Language Press, 1983) pp. 157–58Google Scholar.

18. Much of the information on the procedures and course of the conference were provided in interviews with Ruan Ming and Su Shaozhi who were participants.

19. Xianyang, Zhang and Guixia, Wang, “On the nature of the line of Lin Biao and the gang of four,” Renmin ribao, 28 02 1979Google Scholar; FBIS 1 March 1979, p. E7.

20. Wang Ruoshui's speech on 13 February 1979 reprinted in Ching pao (Mirror Magazine), March 1989.

21. This speech was reprinted in Xinhua wenzhai (China Digest), February 1989, pp. 130–34.

22. Honglin, Li, “The leaders and the people,” Lilun Fengyun (The Storm of Theory) (Beijing: Joint Publishing Co., 1985), pp. 284–85Google Scholar.

23. Luoji, Guo, “Let these be a full emancipation of the mind,” Renmin ribao, 23 01 1978Google Scholar; FBIS 3 February 1978, p. E14.

24. The speech of Su Shaozhi with a few revisions was published in Jingji yanjiu (Economic Studies), May 1979.

25. Ruan Ming, the editor of Theoretical Trends, gave me a copy of this Deng Xiaoping speech.

26. Selected Works of Deng Xiaoping (1975–82), p. 181.

27. Ibid. p. 178.

28. Ibid. p. 184.

29. Ibid. pp. 180–81.

30. Ibid. p. 180.

31. “Carry forward the revolution of Tiananmen,” Renmin ribao, 5 April 1979; FBIS 5 April 1979, p. 14.

32. Xuanchuan dongtai xuanbian 1979 (Selections from Propaganda Trends, 1979) (Beijing: Shehui kexue chubanshe, 1982) p. 14Google Scholar.

33. Ibid. p. 16.

34. Ibid.

35. Honglin, Li, “What kind of socialism should we uphold?” Lilun Fengyun, p. 172Google Scholar.

36. Honglin, Li, “What kind of dictatorship of the proletariat should we uphold?” Lilun Fengyun, p. 182Google Scholar.

37. Ibid. pp. 183–84.

38. Xinhua 17 October 1979; JPRS No. 74564, pp. 1–2.

39. Ibid. p. 3.

40. Shu, Li, “Identify the essence and absorb it,” Lishi yanjiu (Historical Research), 15 11 1979Google Scholar; JPRS No. 75064, p. 35.

41. Ibid. p. 36.

42. Ibid. p. 37.

43. Guangming ribao, 24 October 1979, p. 3; FBIS 29 October 1979, p. L7.

44. Ibid. p. L8.

45. “Human rights have to be analysed historically and concretely,” Faxue yanjiu, 20 October 1979, pp. 9–13; JPRS No. 75488, p. 11.

46. Gongren ribao, 11 August 1979, p. 3; FBIS 24 August 1979, p. L6.

47. “Strengthen the legal system, develop democracy,” Renmin ribao, 5 July 1979; FBIS, 10 July 1979, p. L4.

48. Ibid. p. L6.