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Tag: Democracy

The New Culture Movement

The New Culture Movement (1917-1921) was a movement in China that criticized conservative, traditional Chinese ideas and sought to advance a more progressive “new culture.” This new culture found its footing in Western ideals like science and democracy and was spearheaded by scholars such as Chen Duxiu, Lu Xun, Hu Shih, Li Dazhao, Chen Hengzhe, Liu Bannong, Cai Yuanpei, He Dong, Zhou Zouren, Qian Xuantong, and Bing Xin. This group, of whom many were classically educated, rebelled against Confucianism and classical values. Its hub was Peking University, where many of the leaders gathered under the leadership of Cai Yuanpei during his time as chancellor.

An important facet was the New Youth magazine, a publication where many of these thinkers were able to speak out through essays, short stories, and other forms of writing. The New Culture Movement espoused liberal ideas like the end of the patriarchal family structure, individualism, the re-examination of the Confucian texts and other ancient writings using modern critical methods (called the Doubting Antiquity School), rights for women, and democratic values.

Further Reading

Goldman, Merle and Leo Ou-fan Lee, eds. An Intellectual History of Modern China. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2002.

Mitter, Rana. A Bitter Revolution: China’s Struggle with the Modern World. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2004.

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Sheikh Mujibur Rahman

Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in 1950.jpg

SHEIKH Mujibur Rahman (1920-1975), also known as Mujib, is considered to be the Father of Bangladesh. He founded the Awami League, a Pakistani political party advocating for democracy and socialism that stood in opposition to the dominant Muslim League. He worked to end discrimination of Bengalis in Pakistan, creating his Six-Point Plan detailing political autonomy for East Pakistan.

In 1970, the Awami League won the first democratic election in Pakistan. After an inability to form government and failed negotiations, the Pakistani army arrested Mujib and engaged in a genocide against the Bengali people in East Pakistan, beginning the Bangladesh Liberation War. After Bangladesh’s independence, Mujib was released and became Prime Minister. He indicated that the new constitution be grounded in nationalism, democracy, secularism, and socialism. He was assassinated by a coup in 1975 due to his declaration of a one party socialist state and discontent due to Bangladesh suffering from poverty and corruption.

FURTHER READING

McDermott, Rachel Fell, Leonard A. Gordon, Ainslie T. Embree, Frances W. Pritchett, and Dennis Dalton, eds. “BANGLADESH: Independence and Controversies Over the Fruits of Freedom.” In Sources of Indian Traditions: Modern India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh, 3rd ed., 839–841. Columbia University Press, 2014.

Dowlah, Caf. The Bangladesh Liberation War, the Sheikh Mujib Regime, and Contemporary Controversies, Lexington Books, 2016. 

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