A False Revolution That Changed Everything: Western Student Movements of the 1960s

Author: Xu Ping, Zhu Xiaohan
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2004-01-01
Features: This book analyzes the historical roots, era characteristics, and ideological prerequisites of the Western student movement in the 1960s, and documents the processes of student movements in the United States, West Germany, the United Kingdom, Italy, and France during the 1960s, with a particularly detailed introduction to the May Events in France. The authors' accounts, introductions, and analyses are both calm and objective, yet they also include incisive comments and thoughtful reflections. At the same time, they point out that this movement, which has been over for more than 30 years, is highly beneficial and instructive for understanding postmodernism in contemporary Western society. "Now, the 1960s seem far away, a distant era. But I know, this era still remains with us—it is not only in our memories but also in our politics. It was an incredible era, serious yet foolish, superficial yet destructive. In those years, we threw stones at the world, and the ripples they created are still hitting us now—whether for the better or for the worse." From the perspective of historical interpretation, this book places the student movement within the broader historical context of Western countries transitioning from industrial societies to developed industrial societies. It introduces the historical causes, ideological origins, processes, and characteristics of the movements in various countries, as well as their impacts. The concluding "Conclusion Without a Conclusion" maintains the openness of this question, introducing the current status of the movement participants and their reflections on this experience, as well as differing views on this issue from Western academia, providing readers with a broad intellectual space.