Bourgeois The bourgeoisie ( , ) are a class of business owners, merchants and wealthy people, in general, which emerged in the Late Middle Ages, originally as a "middle class" between the peasantry and Aristocracy (class), aristocracy. They are tradition ...

liberalization () is a term used by the

Chinese Communist Party The Communist Party of China (CPC), also translated into English as Chinese Communist Party (CCP), is the founding and One-party state, sole ruling party of the People's Republic of China (PRC). Founded in 1921, the CCP emerged victorious in the ...

to refer to either the prevalent political orientation of Western representative democracy or mainstream

Western Western may refer to: Places *Western, Nebraska, a village in the US *Western, New York, a town in the US *Western Creek, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western Junction, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western world, countries that id ...

popular culture. The late 1980s saw the first major usage of the term when a number of campaigns, such as the Anti-Spiritual Pollution Campaign, against bourgeois liberalism were initiated lasting until the early 1990s. The term is in active use in

Chinese politics In the People's Republic of China, politics functions within a socialist state framework based on the system of people's congress under the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), with the National People's Congress (NPC) functionin ...

, with the Communist Party's Constitution stating party objectives include "combat ngbourgeois liberalization" in line with the four cardinal principles. According to the Chinese Communist Party, the concept of bourgeois liberalization was first proposed by

Deng Xiaoping Deng Xiaoping also Romanization of Chinese, romanised as Teng Hsiao-p'ing; born Xiansheng (). (22 August 190419 February 1997) was a Chinese statesman, revolutionary, and political theorist who served as the paramount leader of the People's R ...

, the

paramount leader Paramount leader () is an informal term for the most important Supreme leader, political figure in the China, People's Republic of China (PRC). The paramount leader typically controls the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and the People's Liberatio ...

of China, in early 1980s. Deng argued that liberalization would destroy political and economical stability, making it difficult for development to take place. He defined the idea of liberalization as "inherently and completely capitalist", dismissing the existence of liberalization of proletariat or communism, and stated that the idea of liberalization was to try to turn them towards liberalism and capitalism, and thus needed to be strongly opposed on the ground of ''Realpolitik''. Due to the 1986 Chinese student demonstrations,

Hu Yaobang Hu Yaobang (20 November 1915 – 15 April 1989) was a Chinese politician who was a high-ranking official of the People's Republic of China. He held the Leader of the Chinese Communist Party, top office of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) from ...

, then

General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party The general secretary of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party ( zh, s=中国共产党中央委员会总书记, p=Zhōngguó Gòngchǎndǎng Zhōngyāng Wěiyuánhuì Zǒngshūjì) is the leader of the Chinese Communist Part ...

and a leading reformist, was forced to resign from his post by Deng Xiaoping in early 1987. Left-wing conservatives such as Deng Liqun and Hu Qiaomu, under the support of

Chen Yun Chen Yun (13 June 1905 – 10 April 1995) was a statesman of the Chinese Communist Party and the People's Republic of China. He was one of the most prominent leaders during the periods when China was governed by Mao Zedong and later by Deng Xia ...

and

Li Xiannian Li Xiannian (; 23 June 1909 – 21 June 1992) was a Chinese Chinese Communist Party, Communist military and political leader, president of China from 1983 to 1988 under paramount leader Deng Xiaoping and then chairman of the Chinese People's Politi ...

(and even Deng himself), continued to launch the " Anti-Bourgeois Liberalization Campaign" in 1987.

Zhao Ziyang Zhao Ziyang; pronounced (17 October 1919 – 17 January 2005) was a Chinese politician. He served as the 3rd premier of China from 1980 to 1987, as vice chairman of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) from 1981 to 1982, and as the CCP general ...

, then

Premier of China The premier of China, officially the Premier of the State Council of the People's Republic of China, is the head of government of the People's Republic of China (PRC) and leader of the State Council. This post was established in 1911 near the e ...

, successor to Hu as General Secretary and a leading reformist as well, eventually convinced Deng that the left-wing conservatives took advantage of the campaign to oppose the

Reform and Opening-up Reform and opening-up ( zh, s=改革开放, p=Gǎigé kāifàng), also known as the Chinese economic reform or Chinese economic miracle, refers to a variety of economic reforms termed socialism with Chinese characteristics and socialist market ...

program. In the end, Deng agreed to terminate the campaign in mid-1987 and supported the on-going political forms. In 2018, the Communist Party under general secretary

Xi Jinping Xi Jinping, pronounced (born 15 June 1953) is a Chinese politician who has been the general secretary of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and Chairman of the Central Military Commission (China), chairman of the Central Military Commission ...

revised regulations on Party disciplinary action, expelling members from the Party if they openly adhere to bourgeois liberalization online.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bourgeois Liberalism Ideology of the Chinese Communist Party Bourgeoisie Liu Shaoqi Reform and opening up

See also

References