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Bourgeois liberalization (simplified Chinese: 资产阶级自由化; traditional Chinese: 資產階級自由化; pinyin: zīchǎn jiējí zìyóuhuà) is a term used by the Chinese Communist Party to refer to either the prevalent political orientation of Western representative democracy or mainstream Western popular culture. The late 1980s saw the first major usage of the term when a number of campaigns, such as the Anti-Spiritual Pollution Campaign, against bourgeois liberalism were initiated lasting until the early 1990s. The term is in active use in Chinese politics, with the Communist Party's Constitution stating party objectives include "combat[ing] bourgeois liberalization" in line with the four cardinal principles.^[1] According to the Chinese Communist Party, the concept of bourgeois liberalization was first proposed by Deng Xiaoping, the paramount leader of China, in early 1980s.^[2]^[3]

Deng argued that liberalization would destroy political and economical stability, making it difficult for development to take place. He defined the idea of liberalization as "inherently and completely capitalist", dismissing the existence of liberalization of proletariat or communism, and stated that the idea of liberalization was to try to turn them towards liberalism and capitalism, and thus needed to be strongly opposed on the ground of Realpolitik.^[4]

Due to the 1986 Chinese student demonstrations, Hu Yaobang, then General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party and a leading reformist, was forced to resign from his post by Deng Xiaoping in early 1987.^[5] Left-wing conservatives such as Deng Liqun and Hu Qiaomu, under the support of Chen Yun and Li Xiannian (and even Deng himself), continued to launch the "Anti-Bourgeois Liberalization Campaign" in 1987.^[6]^[7]^[8] Zhao Ziyang, then Premier of China, successor to Hu as General Secretary and a leading reformist as well, eventually convinced Deng that the left-wing conservatives took advantage of the campaign to oppose the Reform and Opening-up program.^[8]^[9] In the end, Deng agreed to terminate the campaign in mid-1987 and supported the on-going political forms.^[8]^[9] In 2018, the Communist Party under general secretary Xi Jinping revised regulations on Party disciplinary action, expelling members from the Party if they openly adhere to bourgeois liberalization online.^[10]

References

^ CPC Constitution, CPC English Website, http://english.cpc.people.com.cn/65732/6758063.html Archived 2013-05-24 at the Wayback Machine
^ "邓小平反对资产阶级自由化的思想及当代启示--理论-人民网". theory.people.com.cn. Archived from the original on 30 March 2015. Retrieved 4 May 2020.
^ "邓小平："坚持四项基本原则，任何时候我都没有让过步！"--邓小平纪念网--人民网". cpc.people.com.cn. Archived from the original on 2 March 2021. Retrieved 4 May 2020.
^ "《邓小平文选第三卷》《在党的十二届六中全会上的讲话》" (in Chinese). Archived from the original on 27 February 2022. Retrieved 27 February 2022. 大家可以回想一下，粉碎"四人帮"以后，全国人大在\一九八○年通过一个议案，取消宪法中的关于"大鸣、大放、大辩论、大字报"这一条。为什么做这件事？因为有一股自由化思潮。搞自由化，就会破坏我们安定团结的政治局面。没有一个安定团结的政治局面，就不可能搞建设。
自由化本身就是资产阶级的，没有什么无产阶级的、社会主义的自由化，自由化本身就是对我们现行政策、现行制度的对抗，或者叫反对，或者叫修改。实际情况是，搞自由化就是要把我们引导到资本主义道路上去，所以我们用反对资产阶级自由化这个提法。管什么这里用过、那里用过，无关重要，现实政治要求我们在决议中写这个。我主张用。
^ "Communist Party Says Anti-Liberalism Campaign Applies to Writers, Consumers". AP NEWS. Retrieved 4 May 2020.
^ "China's former Communist Party propaganda chief Deng Liqun dies aged 100". South China Morning Post. 11 February 2015. Retrieved 4 May 2020.
^ "China: The Conservative Challenge to Reform" (PDF). CIA. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 January 2017.
^ ^a ^b ^c Wu, Wei (31 March 2014). "围绕"反自由化"进行的博弈". New York Times (in Chinese). Archived from the original on 9 April 2014. Retrieved 4 May 2020.
^ ^a ^b Wu, Wei (8 April 2014). "赵紫阳改变"大气候"的 "5.13讲话"". New York Times (in Chinese). Archived from the original on 12 April 2014. Retrieved 4 May 2020.
^ Jenne, Jeremiah (3 October 2018). "The Party Goes Retro for National Day". RADII | Stories from the center of China’s youth culture. Retrieved 2 June 2021.