| Publication |
2011.
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| Summary/Abstract |
This article will examine the dissident human rights document circulated in China under the title 'Charter 08' by comparison with the 4 June 1989 democracy movement as exercises of popular remonstrance. The document entitled 'Charter 08' juxtaposes continued deprivation of human rights in China with continued reliance on ineffective and corrupt institutions of the rule of law and concludes that China has many laws but lacks the rule of law. Charter 08 offers a series of principles and policy proposals for wide-ranging legal and political reform, from constitutional reforms to a proposal for a truth and reconciliation process that will confront the tragedies of China's political history and build a foundation for future unity. The 4 June democracy movement in Beijing and other cities in China centred on similar concerns around political and legal reform - particularly the need to curb corruption and build institutional restraints against abuse of power by officials. This article will examine similarities and differences between Charter 08 and 4 June as a way to further understanding of the potential legacy of Charter 08 in the discourse of political and legal reform in China.
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