Independent thought and academia are both anathema to dictatorships. China is no different in this regard as one of its key programs is to quell any dissenting voices be they academic or not. China has shut down Unirule, one of the country’s rare strongholds for liberal economic thought.

Democracy Digest has the article.

An independent Chinese think tank that has served as a rare bastion for liberal economic thought will shut down, citing government pressure as President Xi Jinping ’s campaign to silence dissent rolls on, The Wall Street Journal reports:

The Beijing-based Unirule was founded in 1993 to promote economic liberalization and democracy in China, riding on former leader Deng Xiaoping ’s push for market-style reforms after the deadly crackdown on the Tiananmen pro-democracy protests in 1989. Its work has frequently collided with Communist Party orthodoxy—clashes that have become more acute since Mr. Xi assumed leadership and pursued an increasingly authoritarian agenda…The Unirule Institute, whose name refers to a Chinese concept of “universal rules” over mankind, was created by a group of scholars as a platform for pro-market ideas, including the dismantling of China’s state sector, greater private property rights and the rule of law.

Unirule’s closure limits further the already small window for open discussion of alternative paths for China’s economy, precisely at a moment when it is much needed, said William Kirby, a professor of China studies at Harvard University. “At the moment, zealous officials can seemingly do no wrong by taking extreme measures to clamp down on debate,” he said.

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