Compare how international events affected the responses of East Germany's and China's governments to the

Question

protests of 1989. (1 point)

East Germany was isolated from the more general trend of collapsing communist rule that was occurring in 1989, giving its
government a greater ability to crack down on protesters. In China, the government's ; decision to grant greater civil liberties in
the wake of the 1989 protests was heavily influenced by the success of anti-commun ism in many of its neighboring countries.

The governments of both East Germany and China curtailed civil liberties and became less democratic following the protests
of 1989, making both countries exceptions to the larger global trenc of collapsing communist rule.

The protests in East Germany in 1989 were part of a larger trend of successes in anti-commun ist activism in neighboring
countries making it harder for the governmel t to continue to deny citizens' civi I rights. China was more isolated from this
larger trend so its government was able to assert firmer control over protests.

Both East Germany and China were part of a larger global trend of collapsing communist rule that led their governments to
embrace greater civil liberties and democracy after the protests of 1989.

Answer 1

The response of East Germany and China to the protests of 1989 illustrates how international events shaped their respective governments' actions and policies.

East Germany, being part of a broader trend of anti-communist sentiment in neighboring countries, found itself unable to suppress dissent as effectively as it might have hoped. The wave of revolutions in Eastern Europe, culminating in the fall of the Berlin Wall, pressured its government to concede some civil liberties. However, the regime still attempted to maintain control, reflecting a struggle between internal demands for reform and external influences.

In contrast, China's government reacted more firmly to dissent, viewing itself as relatively isolated from the wave of changes occurring in Eastern Europe. While the Chinese authorities recognized the protests and unrest, they opted for a more authoritarian response, notably the violent crackdown on the Tiananmen Square protests, which they justified by emphasizing the stability of the state over individual rights. This approach allowed China to reassert control without significant concession, diverging from the trend of increasing civil liberties seen in some other countries.

Overall, while both governments curtailed civil liberties in the aftermath of the protests, East Germany faced more immediate regional pressures to reform, whereas China's isolated position allowed for a more repressive response.