Thread by @CarlMinzner

(1/x) Here's something that might go overlooked, but might have interesting long term implications - Chinese Party authorities just issued a new central opinion defining citizen morality.
Here's the text, followed by some brief thoughts.
xinhuanet.com/2019-10/27/c_1…

(2/x) This document sets out Beijing's basic view of what it means to be a "good citizen." If I'm correct, it also provides the framework for all of the 品德 classes that are in China's primary school classes - i.e. basic morality/ethics/"be a good person."

(3/x) It's a reboot/update of the 2001 document below.

So for all of you grad students out there working on this issue, it offers a direct channel to compare how central views on morality/political education are changing.

Neat thesis topic right there.
gov.cn/gongbao/conten…

(4/x) Just on a brief scan, here are some differences worth watching. First, as one might expect, direct mention of Xi Jinping Thought as guiding principle. But also deletion of all other direct references to prior leaders, i.e. no "three represents." Not even Deng or Mao.

(5x) Second, folks who follow environmental issues are going to like the following. It introduces a very strong pro-environmental bent - 积极践行绿色生产生活方式.

(6/x) Specific support for Earth Day, Water Day, "green" classrooms, etc. Goes on and on. Looks to me like a lot of pro-environment content will be flooding into China's 品德 classes over the coming years. Naturally, all linked to Xi's emphasis on 生态文明 - see @greenlawchina.

@greenlawchina (7/x) Third, I detect strong pivot back towards "traditional Chinese values" (中华传统美德) as basis for core values compared w/2001 version. Naturally, socialism/Marxism still there. But "tradition" upgraded. Also, totally consistent with Beijing's current ideological line.

@greenlawchina (8/x) Fourth, there's specific language re: the value/utility of foreign models that has disappeared.

Here's some specific wording of the 2001 version: "发扬党领导人民在长期革命斗争与建设实践中形成的优良传统道德，借鉴世界各国道德建设的成功经验和先进文明成果"

@greenlawchina (9/x) Note that phrasing: 借鉴世界各国道德建设的成功经验和先进文明成果 includes specific support for borrowing successful models/results from other countries. It's something I've seen in a lot of other reform-era educational/cultural documents.

@greenlawchina (10/x) Which makes sense. The ethos of the reform era was - Party control, but still open to selective borrowing of ideas/models from outside.

@greenlawchina (11/x) Now it's gone from the 2019 version. (And I'm almost positive I've seen it disappear from other central Party documents re: educational/culture).

@greenlawchina (12/x) Why important? Totally easy to imagine Beijing's new line leading to worries about kids being exposed to too much Aesop's fables and not enough 三字经.

Remember that Ministry of Education notice a few days ago re: removing inappropriate books from K-12 schools...

@greenlawchina (13/x) Sure, this stuff is interesting in term figuring out the trajectory of ideological/content in PRC elementary school education.

But even more importantly, things like this are barometer of Beijing's attitudes towards "foreign" concepts or models. Watch this space ...

@greenlawchina (14/x) End thread. Apologies for length. Just started thinking out loud.