Prior to publication, a number of newspapers and journals have published key extracts of Zhao's reflections on a range of topics:
On Tiananmen Square • By insisting on my view of the student demonstrations and refusing to accept the decision to crack down with force, I knew what the consequences would be and what treatment I would receive... I knew that if I persistently upheld my view, I would ultimately be compelled to step down. • On the night of June 3, while sitting in the courtyard with my family, I heard intense gunfire. A tragedy to shock the world had not been averted, and was happening after all.
On democracy • They (i.e. the democratic systems of socialist nations) are all just superficial. They are not systems in which the people are in charge, but rather are ruled by a few or even a single person. • In fact, it is the Western parliamentary democratic system that has demonstrated the most vitality. It seems that this system is currently the best one available.
On Deng Xiaoping •
Deng had always stood out among the party elders as the one who emphasised the means of
dictatorship. He often reminded people about its usefulness.
On a new approach • The reason I had such a deep interest in economic reform and devoted myself to finding ways to undertake this reform was that I was determined to eradicate the malady of China's economic system at its roots. Without an understanding of the deficiencies of
China's economic system, I could not possibly have had such a strong urge for reform. ==Details of creation==