Deng Xiaoping Era (1977–1989)

Abstract Chapter Overview After the death of Mao, Deng Xiaoping came to the leadership of the Chinese Communist party. His era was a pragmatic time when he counselled that it doesn’t matter if it is black or white; as long as it catches mice, it is a good cat. Historical Background Deng’s willingness to marry communist politics with capitalist economics was extraordinary, but this contradictory impurity of philosophy was very successful for China. So much so that China becomes the socialist engine room of global capitalism in these decades, with cheap ‘Made in China’ products exported around the world, including to the West and especially to America. Education Goals Deng reversed the catastrophic education policies of the Cultural Revolution and urged a new generation of children to pursue educational excellence again. Nevertheless, the authors end this chapter with an examination of the student protest movements that culminated in the shocking Tiananmen Square massacre in 1989 that reminds us that obedience always remains supreme in education goals during the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) era. Teachers and Teacher Preparation Programmes Successful teacher recruitment drives and the re-establishment of a Ministry of Education in Deng’s era signified a codification of teaching in this period with the creation of specific requirements for Professional Ethics for all primary and secondary teachers. Conclusions Many amazing advances occurred in this era, including the establishment of a nationwide TV and radio broadcasting system that expanded access to education across China.