Ethics & International Affairs Volume 4 (1990): Special Section on Human Rights and Democratic Values: China's Sprouts of Democracy [Abstract]

Dec 2, 1990

A basic premise of Confucianism rests in the intellectuals' responsibility to speak out against an oppressive government. This tradition continued well into the Maoist era, along with "the mandate from heaven," which provided an additional fundamental right of the people to dispose of an unfair leadership. Why was it not until the mid-1980s that the intellectuals, the "democratic elite" of China, initiated a public dialogue on the necessity of "inalienable" rights in the Western sense? The reason may lie in the impact the events in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe had in inducing political reform in post-Mao China. The traditional Confucianist beliefs remained at the core of the emerging ideology. Despite Deng's crackdown in Tiananmen Square, the "sprouts" continue to reappear from time to time, and the author predicts that they will be stronger with each comeback.

To read or purchase the full text of this article, click here.

You may also like

DEC 22, 2022 Journal

Ethics & International Affairs Volume 36.4 (Winter 2022)

The highlight of the Winter 2022 issue of "Ethics & International Affairs" journal is a roundtable organized by David Ragazzoni on healing and reimagining liberal constitutional democracy, ...

OCT 11, 2022 Journal

Ethics & International Affairs Volume 36.3 (Fall 2022)

The editors of "Ethics & International Affairs" are pleased to present the Fall 2022 issue of the journal! The highlight of this issue is a book symposium ...

JAN 4, 2022 Journal

Ethics & International Affairs Volume 35.4 (Winter 2021)

The issue features a book symposium organized by Michael Blake on Anna Stilz's "Territorial Sovereignty," with contributions from Adom Getachew; Christopher Heath Wellman; and Michael ...

Not translated

This content has not yet been translated into your language. You can request a translation by clicking the button below.

Request Translation