Chinese Political History II: Chapter 3, Exercise 3 — Possible Solution
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TASK
Rate the reliability of Zhao's memoir and The Tiananmen Papers for the
17 May decision, and say what you would need to see.

ANSWER

PRISONER OF THE STATE (published 14 May 2009)
- For: written from recordings Zhao made himself under house arrest between
  1999 and 2000; he was a participant in the decision.
- Against: it is one participant's account and he was the man who lost, so
  it may present his own conduct favorably. It cannot be tested against
  official records.
- Rating: useful, with an author's interest, best used for what he says he
  did and saw.

THE TIANANMEN PAPERS (English edition, January 2001)
- For: it offers detailed accounts of internal meetings.
- Against: the editors never received original documents, only reformatted
  versions; one editor said the materials had passed through processes that
  took them further from the raw material; the government denounces it as a
  fabrication; critics say the selection may stress leadership struggles.
- Rating: weak as evidence until authenticated.

WHAT WOULD SETTLE IT
Original meeting minutes or contemporaneous notes from more than one
participant, ideally from the opposing side, or access to Chinese archives.
Until then treat the reported vote as "reported in accounts that point the
same way," not as established.