civil disobedience: tiananmen square morris armstrong 2a
TRANSCRIPT
CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE: TIANANMEN SQUARE
Morris Armstrong
2A
TIMELINE
Before
oApril 15, 1989: Hu Yaobang, a former communist party leader, dies. Hu had worked to
move China toward a more open political system and had become a symbol of democratic
reform.
During
oApril 18, 1989: Thousands of mourning students march through the capital to
Tiananmen Square, calling for a more democratic government. In the weeks that follow,
thousands of people join the students in the square to protest against China communist
rulers.
oMay 19, 1989: A rally at Tiananmen Square draws an estimated 1.2 million people.
General Secretary of the Chinese communist party, Zhao Zi Yan, appears at the rally and
pleads for an end to the demonstrations.
TIMELINE CONT.
oMay 19, 1989: Premier Li Pend imposes martial law.
oJune 4, 1989: At about 1 a.m. Chinese troops reach Tiananmen Square.
Throughout the day, Chinese troops fire on civilians and students ending the
demonstrations.
After
oJune 5, 1999: Approximately 70,000 people in Hong Kong take part in a memorial
vigil.
oJune 4, 2009: Tens of thousands of people commemorate the 20th anniversary of
Tiananmen Square at a gathering in Hong Kong. In Beijing, journalists are barred
from the square while the government blocks foreign news sites and Twitter.
PERCEIVED INJUSTICE
oInstead of listening to, and working with the
protestors of Tiananmen Square, the Chinese
government blocks social media and sends troops to
attack everyone at the square all in an attempt to
silence the protest.
PROTEST ACTIONS
A march though the capital to Tiananmen Square
A hunger strike in Tiananmen Square
A rally at Tiananmen square
A concert in Tiananmen Square
SUCCESS OR FAILURE?
The march trough the capital to Tiananmen Square accomplished the goal of
letting the protestor’s cause become known to the Chinese government and it also
inspired others to join in the protests.
The hunger strike demonstrated by the protestors in Tiananmen Square
accomplished the goal of showing the government that they were willing to fight,
using non-violence, for a more democratic government in China.
The rally at Tiananmen Square was a success, as it drew the attention and public
appearance of an government official whom pleaded for an end to the protests.
The concert at Tiananmen Square was a success, as it showed the Chinese
government that the protestors were wiling to disobey the law for their voices to be
heard, as Premier Li Peng had recently imposed martial just a month before.
COMPARE AND CONTRAST
“ The price of anything is the amount of life you exchange for it.”
“If the machine of government is of such a nature that it requires you to be the agent
of injustice to another, then, I say, break the law.”
~Henry David Thoreau
oThese two quotes from Thoreau can accurately describe how the protestors of
Tiananmen Square felt about their communist government. The protestors were willing
to give up their daily lives to protest day and night for a democratic government, and
although sad, some protestors lost their lives forever while fighting for what was right.
oDespite the imposed martial law, the protestors persevered, never giving up their
pleas, even though they knew of the laws and their soon to come consequences.
EXAMPLE OF CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE?
The protest of Tiananmen Square is a good example of civil
disobedience because the regular, everyday people of China stood,
in non-violence, against the Chinese government and its laws all for
the purpose of making their voices heard so as to make the country
better for everyone.