Before becoming Premier and Party chief, he experimented with everything from the de-collectivization of agriculture and separation of the Party from business to laws guaranteeing the rights of journalists and greater openness toward the outside world for ordinary people. He was even the first Chinese leader to wear a suit and tie rather than a Mao habit when traveling abroad, as well as the first to hold an open press conference.
与此相反，赵紫阳在中国历史上留下了这样的篇章，那就是改革者不仅要发展经济，还要改革生活的方方面面。就任总理和总书记以前，他就已经尝试了农业的非集体化、将党政与企业和法律分开、保证记者的言论权利和加强普通百姓的对外开放。他甚至是第一位出国时用西服领带取代中山装的中国领导人，他还首次召开了新闻发布会。