The 1947 Anti-Hunger and Anti-Civil War Movement in Beiping: Civilian-led Rallies and Government-led Rallies

This study analyzes the contrasting objectives and mobilization strategies of civilian-led and government-led rallies during the Anti-Famine and Anti-Civil War movement in Beiping in 1947. During this period of heightened tension between the Kuomintang and the Communist Party of China, both rallies shared the goals of ending civil war and addressing the economic crisis but differed sharply in their approaches. while the civilian-led rallies called for the restoration of the Political Consultative Conference, government-led rallies advocated for the suppression of the Communist Party of China. Civilian-led rallies, often mobilized by academic groups, utilized peaceful demonstrations with creative slogans, performances, and symbolic acts that provided the public with avenues for political expression outside the constraints of governmental control. In contrast, government-led rallies focused on promoting the Kuomintang government’s legitimacy and anti-communist stance, mobilizing a large cross-section of the public to condemn the Communist Party of China as a national threat and to endorse the continuation of the war against them. This study highlights the dual function of rallies during this era, serving as arenas where civil resistance intersected with government control strategies, and illustrates the persistence of distinct political and social roles held by these competing rallies in shaping public discourse amidst the ongoing civil conflict.