The Fifth Modernization, an essay posted on a Beijing wall in 1978, marked the beginning of a prolonged political confrontation for Wei Jingsheng. By arguing that democratic reform was as essential to China as industrial and military development, he challenged the authority of Deng Xiaoping and the structure of the communist state, ultimately spending eighteen years in government custody.
Early Political Development
Born in 1950 in Beijing, Wei attended the High School Affiliated to Renmin University of China. His trajectory shifted during the Cultural Revolution when he joined the Red Guards at age sixteen. Encounters with rural residents while living in Northern China exposed him to the realities of the Great Leap Forward and the scale of historical famines, prompting him to reassess the foundations of the political system. By 1973, he had secured employment as an electrician at the Beijing Zoo, a role he held until 1979.
Twenty questions, eight minutes on the clock, and a percentile measured against everyone who has taken it. No sign-up.
Take the IQ test →The Democracy Wall Movement
In 1978, Wei emerged as a central figure in the Democracy Wall movement in Beijing. His essay, The Fifth Modernization, specifically named paramount leader Deng Xiaoping and challenged the government's trajectory. Unlike many peers who focused on bureaucratic reform, Wei targeted the totalitarian system itself. He furthered his activism through the magazine Explorations, publishing accounts of prison conditions and questioning the legitimacy of the existing leadership. These actions resulted in his arrest on charges of counter-revolutionary activities in 1979.
Imprisonment and Exile
Wei served an initial fifteen-year sentence, marked by isolation and continued dissent. Though released in 1993, he returned to public advocacy by meeting with foreign officials and journalists. A subsequent arrest in 1994 led to a fourteen-year sentence for plotting against the state. Following international pressure, including requests from the United States government, he was granted medical parole in 1997 and deported to the United States. During his years of incarceration, he compiled various writings into the book, The Courage to Stand Alone.
International Advocacy
Following his relocation to the United States, Wei held a position at Columbia University from 1997 to 2000. In 1998, he established the Wei Jingsheng Foundation, which maintains offices in Washington, D.C. The organization focuses on human rights and democratic advocacy within China. His work has been recognized globally, earning him the Olof Palme Prize in 1994, the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Award and the Sakharov Prize in 1996, the Amnesty International Menschenrechtspreis in 1998, and the Truman-Reagan Medal of Freedom in 2000.
Fast facts
- Born: 1950, Beijing
- Education: High School Affiliated to Renmin University of China
- Employment: Beijing Zoo (1973-1979); Columbia University (1997-2000)
- Political Focus: Civil Rights and Chinese democratization
- Total years imprisoned: 18 years
- Notable work: The Fifth Modernization
- Deportation date: 16 November 1997
- Citizenship: People's Republic of China
Questions readers ask
Why was Wei Jingsheng imprisoned?
He was convicted of counter-revolutionary activities and later plotting against the state after authoring critical essays and advocating for democratic reforms.
What is the goal of the Wei Jingsheng Foundation?
The foundation works to improve human rights and advocate for the democratization of China.
