Book contents
- June Fourth
- New Approaches to Asian History
- June Fourth
- Copyright page
- Contents
- Figures
- Preface
- Chronology
- Abbreviations
- Part One China’s 1980s
- Part Two The Tiananmen Protests
- Part Three Massacre
- Part Four Nationwide
- 18 Han versus Non-Han
- 19 Outside In
- 20 Inside Out
- 21 Rage
- 22 Rural Actions and Reactions
- 23 Alternative Paths Nationwide
- Part Five The Aftermath
- Further Reading
- Index
- Series page
23 - Alternative Paths Nationwide
from Part Four - Nationwide
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 01 April 2021
- June Fourth
- New Approaches to Asian History
- June Fourth
- Copyright page
- Contents
- Figures
- Preface
- Chronology
- Abbreviations
- Part One China’s 1980s
- Part Two The Tiananmen Protests
- Part Three Massacre
- Part Four Nationwide
- 18 Han versus Non-Han
- 19 Outside In
- 20 Inside Out
- 21 Rage
- 22 Rural Actions and Reactions
- 23 Alternative Paths Nationwide
- Part Five The Aftermath
- Further Reading
- Index
- Series page
Summary
The experiences of the hundreds of cities throughout China where Communist Party leaders exercised relative restraint during the protests, blockades, and strikes offer countless alternative paths and show how unnecessary it was for the PLA to open fire in Beijing on June 3 and 4. Student leaders thought that bloodshed in Beijing would spark a nationwide uprising. Enraged protesters did shut down traffic and tried to organize strikes, but failed to bring about regime change. One alternative path in 1989 was 1911-style provincial declarations of independence. But in 1989, local leaders were not inclined to turn against the Party to which they owed their careers and political futures.
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- Chapter
- Information
- June FourthThe Tiananmen Protests and Beijing Massacre of 1989, pp. 204 - 206Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2021