Chinese Democracy Trivia Quiz

Answer: Tiananmen Square Massacre

The Tiananmen Square protests began following the death of Hu Yaobang. He was a leading figure in the Communist Party of China, and was a supporter of political reform. He had been forced to resign in 1987, but remained a popular figure with those who wanted change. Wanting to mourn his death, masses of people began to gather in Tiananmen Square on the eve of his funeral.

This then turned into a series of protests that included amongst other things, demands for democracy. These protests gathered momentum for another six weeks until the fateful 4th June, when the military opened fire on the crowds, resulting in an unknown number of deaths.

Answer: Nobel Peace Prize

An advocate for a gradual change to a more democratic and accountable political system, Liu Xiaobo became the first Chinese person to be awarded a Nobel Prize whilst living in his own country. Unfortunately for him, he was unable to claim the prize personally, as in 2009 he was given an eleven year prison sentence. Not the first time that he had been detained for his views.

The Chinese government were not very happy about the committee's decision. A statement made by the foreign ministry said, "The Nobel Peace Prize is meant to award individuals who promote international harmony and friendship, peace and disarmament. Liu Xiaobo is a criminal who has been sentenced by Chinese judicial departments for violating Chinese law. Awarding the Peace Prize to Liu runs completely counter to the principle of the award and is also a desecration of the Peace Prize."

China called on countries to boycott the award ceremony, and many did. Of those that did attend, Serbia initially announced that they were boycotting the ceremony, only to do an astonishing U-turn shortly after.

Answer: Hundred Flowers Movement

Unfortunately, the Hundred Flowers Campaign was swiftly ended, with an ideological crackdown being the immediate response. Some historians believe that the whole movement was a ploy in order to root out intellectuals and dissidents that opposed the system.

Others believe that Chairman Mao had honourable intentions, but disliked it when criticism turned towards the Communist Party and himself. Either way, freedom of speech was not on the agenda for the rest of Chairman Mao's days.

Answer: Macau

Proposals were made by Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping in the early 1980s to adopt a "one country, two systems" principle. This meant that on reunification, Hong Kong and Macau could retain their political systems, despite China being a socialist state. Two areas where the two regions did not have any autonomy, is with regard to foreign affairs and the military, but in all other respects they continued to follow the principles of the democracies that were handed over.

Answer: Kuomintang

Also known as the Chinese National People's Party, the Kuomintang were the party headed by Chiang Kai-shek until his death in 1975. Following World War II, the party had failed to capitalise on their strong position, and following a period beset by corruption and numerous other issues, lost crucial ground to the Communist Party. Following the creation of the People's Republic, Chiang Kai-shek established a new headquarters in Taipei, Taiwan.

Despite having a democratic constitution, the Kuomintang ruled as a one-party state until reforms began to be undertaken in the 1970s.

Answer: Sun Yat-sen

Sun Yat-sen developed a political philosophy known as the "Three Principles of the People", which can loosely be translated as being nationalism, democracy and socialism. He co-founded the Kuomintang, but unfortunately was unable to see them consolidate power, as he died in 1925 from liver cancer.

He was so well thought of, that when civil war erupted between the Communist Party and the Kuomintang in 1927, both claimed to be the true heirs to his philosophy, with both making their own interpretations on the subject matter.

His "Principles" have been hugely influential on the development of political thought in China ever since.

Answer: 1996

The election was won by Lee Teng-hui of the ruling Kuomintang party, despite threats made by the People's Republic of China on the mainland. The People's Republic were unhappy at the perceived shift away from a "one-China" policy, and tried to intimidate the Taiwanese by conducting missile tests in the Taiwan Strait, which lies between mainland China and Taiwan. The "Third Taiwan Strait Crisis" caused much international controversy, prompting the United States to intervene by sending ships into the Taiwan Strait.

There had previously been another eight Presidential elections in Taiwan, but these were only elected by deputies of the National Assembly.

Answer: Boxer Rebellion

China was effectively being dominated by the European powers during this period in its history, and it took a rebellion such as this to help redress the balance. The Boxers fought against the apparent Western influence that was permeating Chinese society, including the spread of Christianity, and European trade.

Although it ultimately failed, the rebellion placed a knife in the chest of European imperial ambitions. It also showed how weak the Qing government was, and could be seen as a contributor to the subsequent fall of the dynasty. History has a mixed reaction to the Boxers, as they were responsible for some dreadful atrocities. They were praised for their spirit of resistance by Sun Yat-sen, though he also labelled them as "bandits."

Answer: Uyghur

Kadeer founded the International Uyghur Human Rights and Democracy Foundation in 2005, following her release from prison. She has helped raise awareness around the world about the Uyghur people, and the perceived threats to this Muslim minority with a unique culture. Whilst George W. Bush praised her as "far more valuable than the weapons of their army or oil under the ground", the Chinese have labelled her as "an ironclad separatist colluding with terrorists and Islamic extremists."

Kadeer is the subject of a 2009 documentary film by Jeff Daniels called "The 10 Conditions of Love." The Chinese protested at its screening by several film festivals, as they believed that it sent the wrong message about terrorism and promoted Xinjiang separatism.

Answer: Shandong

The "Shandong Problem" arose as a result of the Chinese joining the side of the allies during World War I. They did so under the impression that all areas under German influence on the Chinese mainland, would be returned to China following a successful conclusion to the war. Unsurprisingly, they were not happy when the former German colony and sphere of influence were transferred to Japan, and saw it as a betrayal by the Western powers. It certainly didn't give the Chinese a good impression of Western-style democracy.

May 4, 1919, saw students protest against how China responded to the Treaty of Versailles. This led to the period of 1919-1925 that was known as the "New Culture Movement." This period of thought looked at new ways of developing Chinese culture in the modern world, including the adoption of democracy, that ultimately influenced the approach of both the Kuomintang and the Chinese Communist Party.