• Deng Xiaoping's era marked new reforms but maintained an authoritarian stance.
• Internal divisions existed in the Communist Party of China (CCP) between leftists (traditionalists) and rightists (modernizers).
• Deng's challenge: balancing the two factions to maintain the essence of Chinese communism while modernizing the nation.
• By the 1990s, communism's decline in Europe posed existential questions for Communist China.
• Deng believed in the indispensable nature of global economic integration for China.
• To Deng, Communism was more about ensuring stability in China rather than its revolutionary spirit.

• 🤜 The Left: Those skeptical about rapid economic reforms, wanting to keep China's Communist essence.
  • Real-world example: Think of it like a grandparent, cautious about new tech, preferring the good ol' ways.
• 🤛 The Right: The faction that wanted to speed up economic growth and align more with Western ways.
  • Real-world example: Like a teenager eager to have the latest smartphone, fast-paced, and modern.

💡 The Core Dilemma: How can China modernize and still keep its Communist principles? It's like trying to fit a square peg (Communism) in a round hole (modern capitalist world).

🇪🇺 Europe's Velvet Revolutions: The peaceful revolutions against Communism in Europe made China ponder its own Communist identity. It's as if a trend went viral in Europe, making China question if it should hop onto the trend or maintain its unique style.