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What Happened to the Tiananmen Spirit?

By Kevin Spak,  Newser Staff

Posted Jun 4, 2009 8:52 AM CDT

(Newser) – Twenty years ago today, Nicholas Kristof of the New York Times was in Tiananmen Square, sweating in fear and watching as "'People’s China' opened fire on its people." The soldiers had shot at ambulances, too, so no one was helping the wounded—except the rickshaw drivers. One driver, tears in his eyes, stopped so Kristof could photograph his cart full of bodies. He “perhaps couldn’t have defined democracy, but he had risked his life to advance it.”

It was a night filled with acts of courage. So what happened? Why are there no protests today? Kristof theorizes that the people “were demanding not precisely a parliamentary democracy, but a better life—and they got it.” But with an educated middle class comes political aspirations. China may soon find itself on the same path Taiwan and South Korea took. Democracy could come without a bullet being fired.

Ann Lau places candles by a portable memorial which demonstators placed at the front door of the Chinese Consulate in LA to mark the 15th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square protests, June 4, 2004.
Ann Lau places candles by a portable memorial which demonstators placed at the front door of the Chinese Consulate in LA to mark the 15th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square protests, June 4, 2004.   (Getty Images)
Students of the University of Hong Kong attend a pro-democracy rally to mark the 20th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre of June 04, 1989 in Beijing, on May 31, 2009 in Hong Kong.
Students of the University of Hong Kong attend a pro-democracy rally to mark the 20th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre of June 04, 1989 in Beijing, on May 31, 2009 in Hong Kong.   (Getty Images)
In this June 5, 1989 file photo, a Chinese man stands alone to block a line of tanks heading east on Beijing's Cangan Blvd. in Tiananmen Square.
In this June 5, 1989 file photo, a Chinese man stands alone to block a line of tanks heading east on Beijing's Cangan Blvd. in Tiananmen Square.   (AP Photo/Jeff Widener, File)
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One of my Chinese friends explains that if he were to protest loudly, he might be arrested; if he were to protest quietly, it would be a
waste of time. - Nicholas Kristof

People in Beijing may not have the vote, but they do have an infant mortality rate that is 27 percent lower than New York City’s. - Nicholas Kristof

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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 6 comments
Robert_Dada
Jun 4, 2009 11:26 AM CDT
"Changing guns for brooms the guards change to clean up crews" - Skinny Puppy, 'Tin Omen'
gilgordan
Jun 4, 2009 8:28 AM CDT
look back to 1999 it was Phil Graham that killed the golden goose, in the name of greed.
gilgordan
Jun 4, 2009 8:14 AM CDT
PaleRider, time to open the mind and eyes, the founding fathers became founding fathers to preserve their wealth, and use cheap labor cost to gain more wealth, rather than support a non benevolence dictating King. The forms of governance that have proven the test of centuries are not Republics, they are benevolent dictatorships. Further Pale Rider where were you when our leaders decided move our national from a producing sovereignty to a consuming one. That started around 1970, and you know why? You got it Cheap labor cost!!

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