Omparison between Chinese student protest and British student protest - Essay Example

? COMPARISON BETWEEN CHINESE PROTEST AND BRITISH PROTEST by of the of the of the School City, State 20 March 2013 Introduction Student movement can also be referred to as student activism. Weiss and Aspinall describe student activism as “a collective action by university students directed toward (and often against) the ruling regime” (2012, p. 2). The nature of all student movements is irregular. This is because they are on and off lasting only a short time despite the fact that there are a few cases of sustained action for change. The rise of activist movements, as well as their collapse is difficult to predict. The lack of continuity of students’ movements happens due to different structural and possibly psychological reasons. For example, in most academic systems, there is a lot of free time that allows plenty of student life to be appropriated to politics. Altbach points out that “in the traditional European systems, examinations were infrequent and the pace of studies was almost entirely determined by the student” (1998, p. 105). As a result of this, student leaders were able to maintain their student status, and still entirely commit themselves to politics. The education system in America makes it problematic for student leaders to fully engage in campaigns and matters of state, while prolonged action for change is more difficult. According to Altbach, “in the American system, the permanent student syndrome, which is common in some European and Third World nations is not easy to do and student leadership, as a result, is more transitory” (1998, p. 105). From this, it is clear that the characteristics and duration of student movements are controlled by the structure of an academic system. Lack of longevity in student movements can be attributed to the short nature of campus life, where students and student leaders change from time to time. Campus generations that follow after have different standpoints and interests, while the nature of activism is at times temporary. Existing student generations usually anticipate benefiting from changes they request, maybe on campus conditions and student reforms, and this gives them a burning desire to have these requests met. “Student movements may be impatient for results precisely because the leadership realises that the movement may be short-lived” (Altbach, 1998, p. 106). Students also engage in protests in a struggle for idealistic causes. In such causes, student movements connect with labour unions, political parties, and other non-campus organisations, but the associations are very temporary. Background of Student Movements The earliest forms of student activism occurred in the 1800s (Eckel, 2006). Through petitions, sit-ins, demonstrations, and other forms of protests, students got to indirectly influence decision making in campus, since they could not participate in policy making. However, it was not until the 1960s that students got to engage in official and formal input in policy making (Eckel, 2006). Prior to the 1960s, students only played the role of learning in campuses, and were not consulted in policy making. This however changed as a result of changing social circumstances causing students to engage in movements demanding for their inclusion in university policy making. Eckel points out that “several structural changes occurred as a result of these demands, including the redevelopment and strengthening of student government and emergence of new structures, such as student trustees and student lobbies” (2006, pp. 94-95). Up until the 1900s, student movements were not organised although students engaged in them to protest about ineffective teaching, poor quality food, or overwhelming course requirements (Eckel, 2006). “After 1900, organised student groups began to form, and they provided a locus for not only campus issues, but also for broader societal concerns” (Eckel, 2006, p. 95). There was campus movements focussed on issues beyond the campus, such as political concerns like divestment of campus funds. Today, the political and academic life of universities is influenced by student activism, despite the fact that student organisations rarely focus on the curriculum, governance, or reform. Background of British Student Protests As early as the 1930s in Britain, most students belonged to a political establishment by the time they got their university admissions. Knight points out that “the students who lived in the great continental cities were much more accustomed to taking to the streets whenever there was an issue for them to seize on and enjoy” (1989, p.42). During this time, student movements had no appointed student leaders and student protestors had no interest in officially electing leaders. Student leaders would however arise as a result of selection by journalists to speak on behalf of their movements, or the presence of students who were outspoken in the student movements. Following the General strike that took place in Britain in 1926, Britain witnessed a large protest in 1956 in London’s Trafalgar Square (Hoefferle, 2013). The protestors were in an action to condemn France and Britain’s invasion of Egypt’s Suez Canal. The protests comprised of workers and a high turnout of students, who held public demonstrations. As a result of the protests, France and Britain withdrew from the Suez issue and made a peace agreement. For the first time after the Second World War, young people and students became a great propelling force in Britain. According to Hoefferle, the year marked “the beginning of a new student movement centred on upholding the high ideals of fair play and democracy espoused in British discourse for generations” (2013, p. 12). Small-scale student protests were experienced in Britain in 1968 (Childs, 2006). The reasons for the protests included the mode of teaching in universities and colleges, their hierarchical arrangement, sexual segregation, and living conditions. Essex University and the London School of Economic and Political Science experienced the most severe forms of protests. At other universities, colleges, and polytechnics confidential documents were stolen, while offices and libraries got occupied. Apart from institutional based reasons, students also engaged in protests due to racism and the Vietnam War arguing that the Labour government was not supposed to support the United States in the war. Childs points out that “the horrors of Vietnam were seen nightly on Television and many felt sympathy for a small nation which seemed to be the hapless victim of power politics” (2006, p. 126). As a result of these protests, a number of reforms were made. Despite the fact that numerous protests took place in Britain in the 1960s, they had their basis in the 1940s. The establishment of a modern social welfare state in Britain was a significant shift bound to affect all British generations since the 1940s. Examples of changes in the 1940s include policies implemented in order to eliminate constant economic inequalities such as the Education Act of 1944, the National Assistance Acts, enactment of the National Health Service and National Insurance, coal, steel, the railways, and the nationalisation of the Bank of England (Hoefferle, 2013).The expectations and experiences of British post-war students were mainly influenced by the Education act of 1944. In the 1970s, student activism in Britain experienced a lot of chaos. Student movements during this period had two related aspects. This is because college and university movements protesting about actions and policies passed by academic authorities and particular regulations. In some instances, high school students were involved in these movements. The number of students involved in these movements also grew during this period, and majority of them also got involved in other important movements of the time. Student movements in Britain remained less regulated in the 1980s. Their legal status remained uncertain, while their arrangements and structures remained un-uniform. This was followed by massive demonstrations about a reduction in student allowances, which caused more restrictions in the superiority of student movement and unions. Consequently the Education Act of 1994 was enacted (International Socialism, 2011). The act recognised student unions as un-integrated organisations. This changed in 2006, when student unions got to be recognised as registered organisations. Forms of Student Protests in Britain Public demonstrations. Over the years, British students have held public demonstrations to address their issues and show their condemnation about a number of issues, ranging from matters regarding campuses to national politics. Despite the fact that in the past, this faced a lot of restrictions from the authorities, British students continued holding demonstrations any time they felt that an issue needed to be addressed. The public demonstrations held by British students in 2010 are a good example. Due to the threat of facing an increase in their fees, students held large-scale demonstrations to protest the move by the government. In late 2012, British students took to the streets protesting against the high level of unemployment that youths in Britain were facing, and the rise in education fees (Owen, 2012). Political rallies. Political rallies and occupation of university and government office have been used by students in Britain as a form of protest. The two recent instances have been in 2010 and 2012. In 2010, a large number of people marched through London engaging in rallies to condemn increase in tuition fees. The building holding the office of Davis Cameron, who was then the prime minister, was evacuated by angry students (Aljazeera, 2010). In 2012, British student leaders organised a rally to protest against increase in tuition fees in UK universities. The rally was attended by a huge number of students (Duell, 2012). Use of social networks. Social networking websites, such as face book and twitter have been used by students in Britain to protest against actions they condemn. It is important to note than this form of protest was not available in earlier years, and has only emerged with the advancement in technology. Social networking sites have been very effective in passing a message to a huge audience. Recent student protests have been organised using these social networking sites (Coughlan, 2010). Background of Chinese Student Protests Student activism in China began very early in the history of the nation. Student rebellion was common during this time, but mass student movements were a rare occurrence. During the regime of Emperor Han-Ai-ti, the first mass appeal was presented by university students (Lee, 2000). The students engaged in this petition in order to beg the emperor to rescue one of their members. So as convince the emperor to release their colleague, the students knelt down in front of his palace, displaying a lot of nobility. As a result of their action, their colleague’s punishment was reduced. Changes in the Chinese student movements began to be experienced in the 9th and 10th centuries (Lee, 2000). During the years that followed, student protests became more serious involving massive demonstrations that sometimes led to attacks on the implicated individuals. On “May 4, 1919,..., both scholars and the literary figures and common man contributed” (Chaurasia, 2004, p. 158) in a movement geared towards ending indignation in China. Forms of written demonstrations, such as short songs served as objects of protests. The reasons for the protests included institutional matters mainly with the management and political issues in China. In the period between 1945 and 1949, students got involved in a multitude of incidents, strikes, and protests. Pepper points out that “some of these developed over political issues, others over academic and school-related matters” (1999, p. 44). As the government efforts to suppress student movements failed, government officials in China became more brutal. During the KMT government, students became powerless in making their demands to the government. Due to this, they had to resort to protest demonstrations and publicity through publication of demands at street corners and press conferences. According to Pepper, “they distributed pamphlets and newssheets, and posted notices, cartoons, slogans, and wall newspapers. They held lectures, dramatic performances, and exhibitions” (1999, p. 44). Parades, meetings, classroom strikes, and presentation of petitions became the main forms of protests used by students. In 1989, there was a crackdown on Chinese student demonstrations. After this, public activities such as publications and art exhibitions were banned. According to Hung and Wang, “realising their impotence in the face of real politics, many young artists turned to sarcasm” (2010, p. 154). Despite efforts by students to ignore the ban, through secret student organisations that attempted to resist the rules, normalcy was restored in most Chinese universities, due to the fact that the measures taken were very stringent. After the ban, students ceased from engaging in public demonstrations, political rallies, and resulted to the use of artwork and written demonstrations to protest. In planning for protests, students became very careful in their choice of allies. This is because there was a great risk involved in engaging in student protests. Spies existed as people posing as students and others who were really students, and this made student leaders very careful. Wright points out that “as involvement in student protest activities entailed a great risk, students were exceedingly careful in their choice of co-dissidents and were highly suspicious of those who appeared suspect” (2001, p. 13). In recent years, Chinese students have completely ceased from engaging in political rallies and public demonstrations, which are illegal in China. Even with the advent of technology, social networking sites, such as twitter and face book are not used in either planning or executing protests in China because it is also illegal. Forms of Student Protests in China Written demonstrations. These include letters, caricatures, poems, posters, banners, and signs carrying student protestors’ messages. An example is the Fin-de-Siecle student protests where poems, caricatures, wall posters, and banners were the methods used by students to protest (Wasserstrom, 1999). In early 2003, the first anti-war protest was held by Chinese students to show their condemnation of the Iraq war (The Guardian, 2003). Signboards with images of wounded Iraqi civilians, leaflets, and letters spelling out protest messages were used by students who took part in the quiet demonstrations of 2003. These protestors had plans to gather in other parts to continue with their protests but this was forbidden by the police since public demonstrations are illegal in China. In 2012, the government of China announced that it would undertake gynaecological examinations for candidates applying for jobs in the Chinese government (Taylor, 2012). Chinese students were not happy with this move and so they planned protests against this move by the government. The students used written slogans and signs with their message. Artwork. Street art has been very effective in Chinese student protests. This for m of protest has been used in China for centuries. Denunciations and grievances are listed on these, and this usually arouses public debate. Ai Weiwei is a very popular figure in China for his use of artwork to protest. According to Chaffee, “street art was a means to an end for the Chinese underground. Their complaints were aired via wall posters and became material for the country’s political discourse” (1993, p. 28). In the 2012 student protests against gynaecological examinations, female Chinese students used behaviour art as a form of protest (ChinaDailyForum, 2012). Such kinds of expressions have been used to pass the protestors message across. Differences and Similarities between Chinese Student Protests and British Student Protests From the above discussion it is clear that there are striking differences, as well as a number of similarities between Chinese and British student protests. The major differences are in the forms of protests allowed in the two nations, although China engaged in some forbidden activities in the past. From the past to this day, students in Britain are used to engaging in sit-ins, political rallies, making public demonstrations, and using social media to protests against actions by the government and other bodies of authority. To this day, public demonstrations and rallies still exist in Britain. In China on the other hand sit-ins, political rallies, and public demonstrations were banned making it illegal for anyone to engage in them. As a result, students had to find quiet ways to protests against the government and other bodies of authority. They resulted to the use of artwork and written demonstrations, which are allowed and have served to pass on their denunciations. Apart from these major differences, a number of similarities between student protests in China and Britain exist. On e of the similarities is the agenda of protests in both nations. Students in both nations have been known to engage in protests due to both institution-based and political factors, such as rise in university fees, unemployment, and to condemn their governments’ support of wars in other nations. In both nations, student movements are organised bodies that comprise of student leaders and followers mainly involving college, polytechnic, and university students. High school students have also been involved in protests on some occasions. Reference List Aljazeera, 2010. UK students Protest University Fees. [online] Available at: < http://www.aljazeera.com/news/europe/2010/11/2010111014445069753.html> [Accessed 25 March 2013]. Altbach, Philip G., 1998. Comparative Higher Education: Knowledge, the University, and Development. Connecticut: Ablex Publishing Corporation. Chaffee, Lyman G., 1993. Political Protest and Street Art: Popular Tools for Democratization in Hispanic Countries. 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