Out of this crisis came the demonstrations all over China, collectively known as “Tiananmen.” Liu Xiaobo was an active spokesman in 1989 for the student protests against official corruption and in favor of greater freedom.
然而，这种正统思想注定也将消亡。很少有中国人仍旧是马克思主义的忠实信徒，甚至在共产党高层内部，情况也是如此。这种状况留下了一个意识形态真空，它在上世纪八十年代被贪婪、腐化以及玩世不恭所快速占据。这场危机催生了遍及中国全境的示威活动，它们被笼而统之地冠以“天安门事件”之名。刘晓波在 1989 年，便身为学生针对官员腐化、并要求获得更大自由的抗议活动之积极代言人。