Reform and Reaction in Post-Mao China: The Road Through Tiananmen

Throughout the Communist world, party and government decisionmakers have turned to the public for support in their efforts to restructure stagnant economic and political institutions. Recognizing that policies for coping with complex societal problems cannot be effectively formulated—much less implemented—in the absence of feedback that accurately reflects public sentiment, reformist leaders have sought to mobilize popular opinion against a conservative opposition that remains wary of change. To enable the public to play its designated supportive role in the reform process, authorities have gathered and made available a wealth of new information about socioeconomic conditions and problems and have toler-ated—even encouraged—a variety of citizens’ groups and “interests” to speak out. Those countries which have gone farthest downthis road of political pluralization—such as Poland and Hungary—have already held or scheduled competitive elections. The process of pluralization has occurred within a highly fluid, unstable political environment wherein Communist parties, increasingly under attack from civil society, have had to struggle to remain relevant. In the midst of epochal societal challenges to traditional communist legitimacy,intellectuals in general—and social scientists in particular—have been granted greater autonomy then ever before, and social research and public opinion polling have increasingly been used as guides to enlightened policy-making.