ABSTRACT
This chapter explains human rights in China from the inception of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) in 1949 until 1984. The size of China adds to the dimension of the Chinese experience; so does the fact that Chinese culture has been one of the most influential in human development. That Chinese communism has tried desperately to undermine this culture amplifies the importance of the Chinese story. When President Jimmy Carter extended diplomatic recognition to the PRC in December 1978, he gave the Chinese Communists a much-needed boost and respite. In order to appreciate what the Chinese Communists have done, we must realize that, contrary to what some in the West might believe, modern concepts of human rights were deeply imbedded in certain ethical tenets fundamental to the Chinese creed. By contrast, the Communist party that came into power in 1949 forsook the Chinese tradition.
