© 2007 Institute of Current World Affairs
The Institute awards long-term fellowships to develop a deep understanding of an issue, country, or region outside the US and to share that understanding with a wider public.
Institute of Current World Affairs - Home Page

Below is a hobbled text version of a PDF document.
In order to read the actual document please click the link below and register if necessary.
(One-time registration is free and very quick.)
Read article

3/7/1948 - Student Opinions and Activities- “Chinese Student Movement” Peiping University by A. Doak Barnett

INSTITUTE OF CURRENT WORLD AFFAIRS ItOT FOR PUBLICATION Hsuem Ch ADB leiping China Walter So Rogers Institute Current World Affairs Fifth Avenue New York N Y Dear Rogers Since December I living almost middle Hs Tan Peia Peking National University Ta Hsueh C Tao hutung which I alley which wanders casually through university The Peia Cellege Science casts shadow south compound Colleges Public Affairs Liberal Arls OS Living environment I inevitably contacts university students professors I received definite impressions sudent opinions activities I other universities Yenching Tsinghua particular numerous contacts PeiTa This letter report I learne about students Peiping On February student meeting Democratic Ground large square centrally located Hsia Tan PeiTa University Students colleges universities Peiping Tientsin which represented North China Student Union assembled demonstrate protest against government The incidents inspiring Accusation eeting national local Several previously demonstration TangChi University Shanghai resulted injuries number student arrest In Peiping university college students arrested Garrison Commander charges Communist conspiracy being incommunicado The February meeting express sympathy TungChi students protest Peiping arrests About thousand students perhaps assembled front improvised stage The majority closely packed ground They ringed standin students Whose hands joined prevent arrivals departures dsturbing Numerous placards various groups others carried slogans Nearby walls plastered written newspapers carrying accounts recent events slogans exhortations sldentSo Cartoons depicted oppression Kuomintang auhorilies shwed sinister Uncle Sam reaci9n While sadents listening quietly succession sudent leaders sympathetic professors spoke fzomeplatform They spokewih emotion often voices shrill They decried recent events condemned Kuomintang Central Government called sudent The sacred Word c9nstiton stained government S1denls should library books something protec hemselveso Students organize agains deocratic governmen presen government officials canno reconstruct China Only students organized Reconsruci9n China impossible unless whole China awakened ID incapabilities government whole China awsened sudents The audience listened intently foremos broke applause cheers periodically At close speeches severalort plays presenledo variation theme gvernment oppression victims plays several bobbles ketchup suitable equivalent The audience responsive pproving Between plays sudenls joined singing sirring songs Some directed others spontaneous Finally climax students mpraised repeated We students National Peking University Tsnghua University yenching Universily National Normal College France Chinese University Nankai University Peiyang Universy delerminaion ermine protec basic divine rights safeguard democratic suden governing asociations regulations organization sadent governing associations newly promulgated Educatieno From unite fight ogether exislence If sahool governing assocaion suffers oppression schools concertedly arise determination resist until divine rights restored We deliberation A procession formed marched around Democratic Ground singing songs shouting sl9gana Oppose Oppression Protect Student Self Governing Association Illegal Arrests Cruel Aclm The demonstration broke sudenls eurned their respective schools This demonstration never PeiTa Dring previous demon strations clashes police gendaraes place sreets students ordered within confines campus Euring meeting clusters uniformed unarmed policemen filled streets surrounding university disorder conflicts place Within inner sancam campus sudents unmolesedo A approximately demonstration deleions visited oficial according informaon siing because onsdentsd hecouldn tdtngaui Bythe endofhenh eesdensdbeen releaseddheohero jurisdiction civil courZs bZhersonCourtier ItisfficulZ saywheZherornoZ Zswas ZheresulZ ofsdenZpressure tiZmayhavebeen The Febraary nsra1on merely recen student demonstrations which place Peiping elsewhere China during recen months years In iperspectiveonemust relate iIoewhle ackgroundofhe Chinese Suden oemen Wha referre Chinese Sdent vemen title which sdens hemselves constantly merely history Collective action Chinese sudents usually directed agains existing governmen authorities At action fairly organized At times spontaneous rather uncoordinated N9mtheless fgrce influence s9aetimes foreground sometimes ackground China history movemen In perhaps majority instances Peiping where action iniiaed PeiTa Yenching Tsinghua Universities aking leading demonstrations spread Peiping country I attempto present analysis movement I hewever menti which lesoes hisry Chinese university sdems American schoolboy knows In constantly refer abbreviated fifth 1919o The Chinese Sdent ovement started formal sense Hay At Chinese students Peiping indignation against Versailles settlement regarding Shantung Provinceand proestedo theChineseGovernmentforitsunwilling inability protect China national interesls Demonstrations swept counlry Closely associated movement which formahaimewas theculturalrenaissanceledbymensuchas Hu Shih On sdensproesled loudly agains killing number Chinese civilians Shanghai foreign roops On December demonstrated against govern demanded resis Japanese aggression civil On December students Kunming demonstrated agains governmen after murder prominent liberal professors The U S arine allegedly raping Chinese Peiping demonstrations December against Nanking Gov ernmen against U S intervention China In demonsralions become increasingly numerous In Peiping included protests against widespread arrests February demonstration causes which developed Anl Ciil War 0ppresien June Cil Rights vement Nvember afterawidyblicizedsdresinHang anderecen Acsaon densraon eseeonly daesne culdm Throughou history Chinese Studen ovement active vocal force hrough which students exerted pressure existing political authority Although armies fundamental factor Chinese politics since Revolution sadens armies Chinese Sden ovemen still exert influence hrough power public opinion I difficul evaluate influence remains students group whose opinions still evoke certain amoun deference ofegov ernmen exert considerable influence among literate Chinese I think probably students opposon group within Natonalis A equilibrium exists betweehe governmen poli1tcal authority inslruments coercion s1dens their sensitivity guvernment control their aggressive idealism willingness speak piece uncertain terms occasion demands There students subjected illegal arbitrary arrests 9ppressive regulations restrictions occasional misreatm There doubt however students allowed privileges freedom groups China In seems possible certain cases inflammatory aaemens agitainal ivities students might provoke harsher stringent government Suppression other countries those countries egaged civil It schools China strictly conrulled governmeto It universities Peia Tsinghua Yenc enjoy large degree academic freed Undoubtedly factor equilibriu between government students force public opinion abroad especially U S which sometimes indicates isapproval restrictions expression opinion thereby bolsters students position students aware influences their acticso It possible present discern certain trends sadent activities opinio relations governmen wh2ch importance future We stronger before sudent recently confidence We beginning organized collectiveaction sudents based informal lison between individual students different country appears informal ations cryslaliizing concrete organizati9nal links This process accelerated since Student governing associations sprung virually colleges middle schools federations bodies formed major cities regional federations appeared Of particular importance federations North China Shanghai Nanking Soochow Hangchow regions In June students Shanghai national federation government opposition prevented esablishmen The PeiTa Student Self Governing Association taken example existing sdent bodies It become established university insti ation elected annually universal sudent suffrage controls almost stden activities other academic crricul course lison betweam studen university administration mobilizes studemt opinion political 9thissues general udent interest Because PeiTa geographically split association branches The larges important these Hsia Tan Branch which includes Colleges Public Affairs Liberal Arts Sciemce For university whole there epresentative AssmBl composed delegates class department which meets regularly least semester special sessions In addition there member Board Directors elected branch boards directors branches assemblies The Board Directors which holds regula meetings every weeks active executive elecls chief executive which riumvirate three Directors single dividual The Board Directors organized secrearia sections general administration academic acTAvity public service amusement communications These function bodies Recently however additional formed regarded PeiTa students iporan student organs It Civil Rights Protection Comm composed members elected Bard Directors It action becoes focus interest whenever sudents arrested civil rights impinged other Naturally enough sudens prominen organization These various organizations recognized representative agencies spokesme students PeiTa PeiTa association however North China Suden Union With exception academic institutions which PeiTa sudents claim filled reactionaries under thumb Kuomin Party major universities colleges middle chools Naiomalist North China which practical purposes means Peiping Tientsin elect represenative union This group elects Standing Coittee which regularly every weeks formal meetings often Although officially recognized government authorities received recogniionwhen ilsdelegaes petitions received By authorities I organ which coordinates uden1 movement Peiping Tientsin These various ganizaions important studen possible concerted action issues which stdem opinion They represen consolidation Chinese Sden ovemen It interesting major extra ricuar activities PeTa serve valuable auxiliaries S1den Self Governing Association whenevmr studei initiaed The clubs handle singing The dramatic clubs produce effective plays demonstration meetings And newspapers serve mixUre propaganda students These newspapers interesting phenomenon There twenty algener universit Such dramatic names The Sorm Torch The Torrent The Yellow River In strictest sense newspapers simply handwrten single copies pasted university walls serve purpose Au published weekly ohers irregularly Each published newspaper society bigges Ires sixty members average between twenty atached reading society which organizes collective reading which small libraries containing magazines books carried university library With exception papers which published Kuominang sUdents societies organized Wall Newspaper Union which strongly supports Sden Self GoVerning Association various vities Almost sdents vernment This opinion expressed luncheon discussion group professors several Peip universiieso The majority professors I personally talked themselves estranged present government atleast point being fearful leaving college campus particular group strongly governmen One holds official addition professorship Some further remarks quoling There Leflist trend among sudents thought coherent Bat brilliant sudens Lefis popular Students extremely disllusined Almost solution They think coalition possible They think division country solution They think They peace Sden opinion subdivided innumerable factions political shades overall organization functions unified during crisis Sit dents accomplish national nscie seventy percen emional reactions stands While I Nanking U S Ambassador Leighton Stuart close contacts Chinese academic circles friends Peiping ninety ninety percent students opposed mmunism China ninety percent opposed present government student opinion middle between extremes Recently talking close suden friend PeiTa highly intelligent Senior himsel governmen Commun I asked opinion Commmniss srengh among PeiTa sadents There Communists answered I would least fifty percen sympathetic Communism least Chinese Communiss At least fifty percent Wha sympathetic I asked Well means think Chinese Communists group present vernmen I continued asking questions D sdents think coalition still possible None I That students Do students think either civil R Until recently great sdens think Communists From students Communist regime would better Kuomintang regime Communists winning anyway deserve students sympathy Yes great students arrive position ideoloical basis I plied student opinion Peiping Consequently opinions which heard numerous nough considered straws UsingAmbassador Sart statemen indication student opinion short months however I heard increasing aliena1tn Peiping students Central Gov ernment definite shift Left sense students becoming sympathelic Chinese Communist Party alternative consider intolerable present siuationo The political interest sudents Peiping according sudens themselves ohers I centers almos entirely basic issue civil oucomeo They apparently little interest immediate problems poasible solutions Their interest Peiping affairs explained partially country consequently concerned local polii merely emporary residence practical problems national politics apparently minor interes This undoubtedly naral certain degree their political position responsibility experience characteristic which disturbs friends would constructive force Nationalist China Ambassador Suart recently unusual pBblic statement which appealed patriotic educated people organize study national problems aromse insruc people realize democratic government In doing patriotic inellecaals correct whatever distrus present government sppor effor bring peace China Dr Suar statement prompted reply Dr Holl Tong Government Information S ervice which Chinaisgladthatihas inellectalcritics Butoassume opposiion inelligen China governme fetched I inaccurate assume China drifting oward Lef because university students repeaing familiar process everywhere criticiming prese assume Nnied Sa going arzis because srong socialist Harvard Actually China ellecu working devotedly within national government backbonef governmem I believe Bol Tong ement opinion underesims degree possible nificance present student dissatisfaction degree which intellectuals students inclined consciously mconscously boyct curre politics ignore immediate political problems Naienalis C2ina Another tendency I noted among students I talked wihihe tendencyo hinkof China civil purely domestic terms They ignore possible connection orientation Russia Chinese Communist Party They think China present problems nobody bsiness foreign interference inter vention They assert Chinese people their problems The sensitivity forelgn action which interpret compromise China national sovereignty dates course beginning slndent movement At present sudents oppose U S China years protested several label U S intervautin China domestic affairs I encountered lutely personal individual Americans I constantly suspicion motives underlying U S policy toward China Although I implied previously degree solidarity among sdents outstanding universities Peiping sudents conform majority opinions There undoubtedly ourigh C9mrmnists although students I talked assert You never identify suden Communists If Coanist expose themselves would arrested There howeve constant trickle decide various reisons leave chool Communists their Liberated Areas This which difficult emotionally psychologically involves bridges behind enough accomplish merely certain villages within miles Peiping The number students composing rickle smali speaking however Another minoriy group among sdems Kuomintang grgup Alhough their numerical strength relalvely small reove official support various minor indirect remely unpopular among students however This partly employed local Kuominang Party headquarters informers report activities opinions other sudents Last group enough influence srenh attemp break government demonsration other sudents wouldn The unpopular Peiping among students incidentally local Kuomintang chief Wu The Garrison Cmmander General Chert close second contrast President Personal Eepresenaive Li Tsung generally given credit being which really praise disillusioned sdents A1houghi wouldno becorrecosayhatheCentral Government completely alienated sdent grous Peiping herefore definitely appears oward increasing alienation If process coursei serious China future Although importance suden opinion somees I believe uncritically accep students unequivocal assertions speak people importance collegrained nicans experts counlry China obvious If become increasingly unwilling suppor government grudgingly gover nment naion So Wha caused presen acute disaffection students According students hemselves governmen oppression One canno believe however other factors contributed A sense dislllusionmen after years smnse hopelessn ecause future seems undoubtedly contributing facors My opinion economic sudens contri butes general frame Living condi universities Peiping overcrowded uncomforlable sdens barely making financially sudents government unversiies depend government subsidies The system upper classes general subsidy system whiuh begun during while Freshmen under subsidy scholarship basis Far sudens receive subsidy while ohers receive Even ubsidy small however Last periodically flour little pound CNC little S revailing black marke exchange rates Since tuition mainly pittance thugh requirements large Living pauperm undoubtedly students feeling dissatisfaction Government oppresson studIts could repression major factor however In addition certain conlrols reglaions which justifiable civil situation seady succession arbitrary illegal arrests cases iolent reatmant illings sudents Carried government It doesn cidents inflame sudent 9piniono The umstances incidents indicates intended inlimidate students iscourage expressing opposition governmento Government policies toward sudent groups closely connected government concern indications disloyalty government civil During conversation which I November Nanking Chert L inister Organization Kmominang Party powerful China Communiss everywhere small nerve cells which conneced aforeign uncover Communiss disloyal people midst He It extremely difficult define Communist There different degrees Comunism There small inner circle Communists Around group consider seventy percent reliable Around another sidered fifty percent reliable another which thirty percent another which percent Gn Only inner circle knows To C9mmanis leaders people inner circle extremely difficult This probles The problem uncover Communists without making mistakes about people It great problem student groups Unfortunately however following government seems attacked problem rooting Communists withou having solved problemo discrinaling between percen Pinks hundred percen Reds pression satisfacion confused professions arxlsm I results negative Pressure heousdehaspushed theoutercilesChenLi talkedabou closer cener orientalion sudents turned direction Chinese Commu Party desperation c9nviction Wha sdents Peiping future The slogans slogans liberal parliamentary democracy These slogans undoubtedly different hings different persons sudent friend The first peace effective constitutional government ecion civil rights lawoWhen achieved bring about necessary economic revolution attack problems agrarian reform industrialization basis socialis economy This raher small nutshell hopes sdens I Peiping Withou being explain defend assumptions basis facts believe presen there would chance achieving these goals under CUmmuniss under Kuomintang When comes constructive proposals Io should China students blank Coalition governmen insisted until ecently throw their hands shrug their shoulders The history Chinese Sudent ovement China shows student dissatisfaction criticism govern necessarily indicate complete alienation tsken between governmen students It remember sludents group China sdent opinion identical public opinion Nonetheles8 sdens important their presen dissatisfaction which grows current morass troubles problems China appears serious enough Peiping least contain implications which significan lucre incerely yours Dock Barne