Word: deng
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Dates: during 1980-1989
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...anchorman was dressed in a somber blue-gray Mao suit. Behind his head, a backdrop of Chinese characters spelled out the legend AN ANNOUNCEMENT FROM AN ENLARGED MEETING OF THE POLITBURO. The newscaster's report was brief -- and startling. Hu Yaobang, the man widely expected to succeed Deng Xiaoping, 82, at China's helm, had resigned. Moreover, he had quit as Communist Party chief "after making a self-criticism of his mistakes on major issues." Hu would remain a member of the Politburo and retain his post on the powerful Standing Committee, but his party post would pass to Premier...
With that announcement, the course of China's Second Revolution was suddenly called into question. A country that has gone through several abrupt changes of political direction in the past 40 years was perhaps about to face another major shift. During the past decade, Deng led the most adventurous economic reform program ever undertaken by a Communist country, and Hu, 71, was his steadfast second in command. The two pushed through economic liberalizations that freed the country from the iron hand of central planners and opened a road that appeared to lead eventually to more personal liberties...
...from the beginning Deng's revolution has faced the dilemma of combining economic and political liberalization. Could China free its economy without loosening the political system and allowing more democracy? During the past month that issue has been taken into the streets. Thousands of students around the country demonstrated for more political freedom, often burning Communist Party papers and denouncing party leaders...
...Deng the Reformer has always been something of an enigma. He has strongly supported economic change while remaining wary of political reforms. Personal experiences during the chaotic Mao years, particularly the anarchy of the Cultural Revolution (1966-76), convinced Deng that even a modest amount of dissent could rapidly spin out of control. Uneasily, he let his protege explore possible avenues of change. Under Hu, members of the Communist Party went so far as to question the party's right to rule, and they encouraged greater freedom of expression among artists and intellectuals...
When the student protests erupted last month, however, Deng aborted the ) experiment. The move convinced some China watchers that Deng would sacrifice anything rather than risk political upheavals. His tough stance on the protests was made clear in the first directive of 1987 issued by the Central Committee. It quoted Deng as saying, "When necessary, we must deal severely with those who defy orders. We can afford to shed some blood. Just try as much as possible not to kill anyone...