Hu Yaobang
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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| In office 1980 – 1987 |
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| Preceded by | Vacant, last hold by Deng Xiaoping |
| Succeeded by | Zhao Ziyang |
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| In office 1981 – 1982 |
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| Preceded by | Hua Guofeng |
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| Born | November 20, 1915 Hunan, China |
| Died | April 15, 1989 Jiangxi, China |
| Political party | Communist Party of China |
Hu Yaobang (Chinese: 胡耀邦 Pinyin: Hú Yàobāng, Wade-Giles: Hu Yao-bang; November 20, 1915–April 15, 1989) was a leader of the People's Republic of China. His death in 1989 triggered a series of events which eventually led to the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989.
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[edit] Early career
Born in Liuyang City, Hunan province to a poor peasant family, Hu left home at age 14 to join the Chinese Communist forces, becoming a member of the Communist Party of China in 1933. He participated in the Long March and served as a political officer in the Chinese Red Army under Deng Xiaoping. After the founding of the People's Republic he headed the Communist Youth League. He held many positions in the party and became an important political leader in the CPC after the Cultural Revolution.
[edit] Reformer
As Deng Xiaoping gradually regained control over the CPC, Deng's rival Hua Guofeng was replaced by Zhao Ziyang as Premier of the People's Republic of China in 1980, and by Hu Yaobang as Party Chairman in 1981. Hu was also made General Secretary of the Communist Party of China in 1980 but, until the mid-1990s, it was Deng who was the most influential Chinese leader although his sole official title was that of chairman of the Communist Party's Central Military Commission.
During his reign, Hu tried to rehabilitate the people who were persecuted during the Cultural Revolution. Many Chinese people think that this was his most important achievement. He also ordered the withdrawal of thousands of Chinese cadres from the Tibet Autonomous Region following a 1980 visit to the region, believing that Tibetans should be empowered to administer their own affairs.
Although Hu was a dedicated reformer and one of Deng Xiaoping's most important associates, he was later forced to resign in 1987 from his post as the General Secretary of the Communist Party of China; leaving officially on January 16. Deng forced Hu to resign because Hu failed to control the student demonstrations in 1986.
[edit] Death and the Tiananmen protests
Hu Yaobang died due to a heart attack two years later at a Party Political Bureau meeting on April 15, 1989. In his death announcement, he was described as: "Comrade Hu Yaobang was a long-tested and staunch communist warrior, a great proletarian revolutionist and statesman, an outstanding political leader for the Chinese army". Although he was a "retired" official who had made "mistakes", public pressure forced the CPC to accord him a State Funeral attended by party leaders, and a eulogy which praised his work in restoring political norm and promoting economic development after the Cultural Revolution.
However, many people were dissatisfied with the party's slow response and relatively subdued funerary arrangements. Public mourning began on the streets of Beijing and elsewhere. In Beijing this was centred on the Monument to the People's Heroes in Tiananmen Square. The mourning became a public conduit for anger against perceived nepotism in the government, the unfair dismissal and early death of Hu, and the behind-the-scenes role of the "old men", officially retired leaders who nevertheless maintained quasi-legal power, such as Deng Xiaoping. Protests eventually escalated into the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989. Hu's ideas of freedom of speech and freedom of press in 1986 greatly influenced the students participating in the protests.
After Hu's funeral, his body was cremated. There are reports that initially his widow wanted his ashes to be buried in his home town of Liuyang. However, the local leaders hesitated to accept such a controversial bequest, and he was eventually buried at Gongqing Cheng (literally "Communist Youth City").
[edit] Possible rehabilitation
Despite the highly favorable official evaluation of Hu by the PRC government, the media was muted, and his name was not mentioned publicly after 1989. Printed media which commemorated the anniversary of his death in 1994 were withdrawn from publication.
Plans to rehabilitate Hu Yaobang were reported in the Washington Post September 9, 2005. Based on Chinese sources, the article "China Plans To Honor A Reformer" reported planning for events on November 20, the 90th anniversary of his birth. An official biography and a collection of his writings were slated for release. The biography is a source of controversy as there is a three volume biography written by former aides to Hu Yaobang which remains unpublished and has been taken into the control of the government. A memorial was planned in Hunan where he was born. While viewed by some observers as a possible preliminary step to re-evaluation of the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989, such a move continues to be rejected.
On November 18, 2005, The Communist Party officially celebrated the 90th anniversary of Hu Yaobang's birth (date was changed to two days before), with activities at the People's Hall.
Although magazines publishing commemorative articles were initially stopped from being released, the ban was lifted and these magazines were publicly issued.
This was the first time since his death that Hu's name appeared publicly. It has been suggested that he will be "rehabilitated", giving hope that the Tiananmen Square Protests might be re-evaluated by the CPC.
Memorials in recognition of the date of someone's birth or death are often signs of political trends within China, with some pointing to the prospect of further reform. This is countered however by other recent statements from the Party that it should learn from the ideologies of Cuba and North Korea.
Some political analysts have argued that the current administration under President Hu Jintao wishes to associate itself with the popular Hu Yaobang. Both rose to power through the Communist Youth League, and are described as part of the same "Youth League Clique". Hu Yaobang was also responsible for promoting Hu Jintao to the CPC central office.
[edit] See also
- Politics of China
- History of the People's Republic of China
- Hu Deping, son of Hu Yaobang
[edit] External links
| Preceded by: Hua Guofeng |
Chairman of the Communist Party of China 1981–1982 |
Succeeded by: none (position abolished) |
| Preceded by: Deng Xiaoping (position vacant since 1957) |
General Secretary of the Communist Party of China 1980–1987 |
Succeeded by: Zhao Ziyang |
