How Dissent Grows in China

Overview of the Protests in China

• Spring of 1976 Events

  • A million people gathered in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square to mourn Zhou Enlai on April 4 (Tomb-Sweeping Day).

  • Zhou was highly regarded as a voice of moderation unlike Mao Zedong, especially during the Cultural Revolution.

  • Mourners laid wreaths, banners, placards, and flowers at the Monument to the People’s Heroes.

  • On April 5, police removed the tributes which incited anger and led to over 100,000 protesters gathering in the square.

  • This incident is seen as the first grassroots challenge to the Communist regime and a precursor to the larger protests in 1989.

• Historical Context and Comparison

  • Yasheng Huang, a China scholar from M.I.T., emphasizes that the 1976 protests carry a more profound resonance than those of 1989, rooted in desperation rather than defiance.

  • Public homage to the deceased was historically a last resort for society to exert pressure on authority.

• Recent Protests

  • The current protests in China began in response to the deaths of at least ten people (including four children) in an apartment fire in Ürümqi during a prolonged COVID-19 lockdown exceeding three months.

  • There are parallels in the tributes and protests seen in cities like Guangzhou, Shanghai, and Wuhan reminiscent of 1976.

  • The broad participation includes both the poorest and urban elites, showing widespread dissatisfaction across society.

  • Chen Jun, an activist, notes spontaneous eruptions of mass emotion are destabilizing for the Communist leadership.

• Current Repression and Leadership Dynamics

  • Under Xi Jinping’s rule, the societal atmosphere is regressing to levels of fear akin to the Maoist era, with a focus on absolute loyalty to the state.

  • Mao’s policies, particularly during the Cultural Revolution and Great Leap Forward, had disastrous economic repercussions, leading to widespread discontent.

  • Xi’s “zero COVID” approach echoes Mao’s philosophy that “people must conquer nature,” linked to a broader autocratic control strategy with relentless testing and state-enforced quarantines.

• Dissent and Control Dynamics

  • J.L., a former student activist from the 90s, reflects on the environment before the crackdown, contrasting it to the cautious and pragmatic attitude of today’s youth.

  • Many students displayed solidarity with the protests, yet demonstrate a sense of realism regarding potential changes in governance under Xi Jinping.

  • The contrast of past idealism with current skepticism highlights the impact of repression on public sentiment.

• Generational Perspectives on Protest

  • Protesters express practical outcomes over idealistic expectations, as they navigate the risks against an oppressive regime.

  • WhitePaper, a graduate student, indicates a lack of enthusiasm for political engagement due to fears of being exploited or the ineffectiveness of protests.

  • The Chinese educational system's indoctrination promotes a singular narrative of patriotism that intertwines the Communist Party's survival with national interests.

• Governance Techniques

  • Chen Jun discusses the boiling frog syndrome, where gradual increases in repression lead to societal acceptance of loss of freedoms, as opposed to abrupt changes that incite rebellion.

  • Recent events showcase a government strategy of combination repression and fleeting appeasement, making dissent less organized and more spontaneous.

• Historical and Cultural Reflections

  • Mao's actions during the 1976 protests involved ambiguous directives causing further unrest, reflecting a historical pattern of miscommunication leading to chaos.

  • Following Mao’s death in September 1976, a transition towards economic reforms began, highlighting the potential for long-term changes initiated by protests.

  • Wu’er Kaixi notes the importance of context in understanding protest significance over time, reinforcing that early expressions of dissent may foreshadow larger movements.

• Symbolism in Recent Protests

  • A student protest at Harvard featured a woman holding flowers and a sign that read “In the midst of rain and storm, hold fast to freedom,” symbolizing contemporary struggle against oppression.

  • The imagery of the woman represents vulnerability and the low-profile nature of current dissent compared to the idealized heroic narratives in state propaganda.