ABSTRACT
By 1978, it was clear that Deng Xiaoping and his supporters were the victors in a struggle played out largely behind closed doors. Until his death in 1997, Deng orchestrated a series of reforms that give this era its name. To oversee reform in this vital area of the economy, Deng appointed a close personal supporter, Zhao Ziyang. As a further stimulus to the economy, in 1980 China secured its first loans from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank. Money became available to upgrade machinery and establish new manufacturing and industrial development. At the same time, another Deng initiative opened China further to Western investment: the Special Economic Zones (SEZs). The government's concern with a burgeoning population in the 1950s initially led to limited campaigns to persuade couples to have fewer children. A new version of the 1950 Marriage Law was announced in 1980, requiring all married couples to use a form of birth control.
