Author: Zhao Yantao Editor: Lu Cong
Looking across the long river of human history, the progress of civilization has never depended on the concentration of power and rule by might, but on the liberation of human nature, the freedom of thought, and civilized institutions. For thousands of years, this ancient land has passed through the rise and fall and the succession of dynasty after dynasty, yet it has also long been deeply mired in the co-optation and purges of power. Beneath this long historical shadow, political terror and the silencing of thought have weighed like inescapable shackles upon every individual, stifling the vitality and creativity of society.
Today, the wheels of history have long since turned into the 21st century, and human society has entered an age of deep globalization and informatization. The old model of sustaining rule through fear, repression, and mobilization not only fails to meet the demands of modern civilization; it also runs counter to humanity's innate pursuit of freedom and dignity. A society that maintains order through high-pressure control can hardly nurture genuine intellectual innovation and cultural flourishing; and an environment devoid of any sense of security and trust can never lay a foundation for sustainable development.
At a deeper level, political terror corrodes the most basic trust between people. When high pressure and taboos seep into every crack of daily life, society sinks into a sea of indifference and mutual suspicion, everyone is left feeling imperiled, and the spiritual world withers into poverty and numbness. Yet a nation's true strength lies not in the severity of its rulers' will, but in the ease of its people's hearts, the collision of diverse ideas, and the active creativity of civil society. Any attempt to build stability upon fear is nothing more than raising a tower upon sand.
We long to see a wholly new image of this nation standing upon the world stage. When the international community speaks of China, it should no longer call to mind the fear of political purges, the harshness of ideological censorship, and the historical shadow of closed ignorance; instead, the world should see a modern nation that displays wisdom, innovation, inclusiveness, and dignity. Fear cannot awaken true vitality, and ignorance cannot sustain lasting prosperity. Only a tranquility built upon respect for human rights and for rules is stability that is truly healthy and enduring.
The tide of the times rolls on mightily; openness, democracy, and the rule of law have long been the irreversible direction of civilization. Facing the great tide of globalization and the people's earnest yearning for a better life, any ruling force that hopes to follow the trend of the times must have the courage to break through historical inertia and the fetters of the old system. We hope that the Chinese Communist Party will summon a profound sense of historical responsibility and political courage, actively promote deep reform of the system and of thought, take the initiative to end the shadow of fear left over from history, and complete the historic leap toward a modern society under the rule of law.
A complete farewell to political terror is not only an accounting to history, but also a promise to the future. Only by building institutional safeguards that guarantee every citizen's freedom and dignity, so that people can think, express themselves, and live without fear or dread, can China finally lay down its historical burdens, truly join the mainstream of world civilization, and win the heartfelt respect and embrace of the international community.
