Communist China:Communist China:Rise of Mao to Modern DayRise of Mao to Modern Day

The Rise of Mao ZedongThe Rise of Mao Zedong

• In the 1920s, the In the 1920s, the People’s Liberation People’s Liberation Army (PLA) was Army (PLA) was formed: formed:

– Wanted to end social & Wanted to end social & economic inequality, economic inequality, especially for the especially for the peasants (90% of the peasants (90% of the population). population).

• 1920s-1930s, millions 1920s-1930s, millions of peasants starved due of peasants starved due to unequal land to unequal land distribution. distribution.

– Communists won favor Communists won favor with the peasants by with the peasants by taking land from taking land from landlords then landlords then redistributing it to poor redistributing it to poor peasants. peasants.

Civil War in ChinaCivil War in China

• 1927, General Jiang Jieshi 1927, General Jiang Jieshi (Chiang Kai-shek) defeated (Chiang Kai-shek) defeated other regional warlords to other regional warlords to establish himself as establish himself as president of China. president of China.

– Leader of the Chinese Leader of the Chinese Nationalist Party Nationalist Party

• 1934, 1934, Chiang Kai-shekChiang Kai-shek surrounded small surrounded small Communist armies Communist armies and attempted to and attempted to defeat them. defeat them.

–  Mao’s forces were driven from southern and eastern China by Kai-shek. Mao led his forces on a long march to safety in the northwest part of China.

– The Long MarchThe Long March– 90,000 began, only 90,000 began, only

6,000 of them would 6,000 of them would survive. survive.

The Victory of the Communist The Victory of the Communist RevolutionRevolution

• 1937-1945, 1937-1945, Chiang Kai-Chiang Kai-shekshek & Mao united & Mao united their armies to fight their armies to fight against the Japanese against the Japanese during World War II. during World War II.

• After WWII, they After WWII, they continued their civil continued their civil war for the control of war for the control of China. China.

• By 1949, the PLA By 1949, the PLA controlled most of controlled most of the countryside and the countryside and many of Chiang Kai-many of Chiang Kai-shek’s troops shek’s troops defected to the PLA. defected to the PLA.

– Kai-shek then fled to Kai-shek then fled to Taiwan (with U.S. Taiwan (with U.S. support). support).

– On October 1949, Mao On October 1949, Mao Zedong proclaims that Zedong proclaims that the People’s Republic of the People’s Republic of China is established China is established

The Influence of Soviet The Influence of Soviet SocialismSocialism

• Mao turns to the USSR for Mao turns to the USSR for help. help.

– He faced establishing a He faced establishing a socialist nation and the need socialist nation and the need to modernize China’s to modernize China’s underdeveloped economy. underdeveloped economy.

• Mao adopted the Mao adopted the Soviet Five Year Plan & Soviet Five Year Plan & Collectivization (1952-Collectivization (1952-1957):1957):

– Five Year Plan: modernize Five Year Plan: modernize technology & science to technology & science to develop heavy industry develop heavy industry

– Collectivization: Mao Collectivization: Mao reversed original land reversed original land reform and peasants were reform and peasants were organized into government organized into government owned collectivesowned collectives

–By 1955, China, with the help By 1955, China, with the help of Soviet aid, had achieved of Soviet aid, had achieved considerable success in considerable success in developing heavy industry & developing heavy industry & increasing agricultural increasing agricultural production. production. –Mao believed the Soviets Mao believed the Soviets

relied too much on relied too much on technological experts and technological experts and ignored the peasantsignored the peasants

The Great Leap ForwardThe Great Leap Forward

• 1956, Mao asked 1956, Mao asked intellectuals to intellectuals to comment on his first comment on his first 5 years of leadership. 5 years of leadership.

– Severely punished those Severely punished those who criticized himwho criticized him

• In the 1950s Chinese were In the 1950s Chinese were organized into communes organized into communes radically changing the farming radically changing the farming system system

• All people had to work shift All people had to work shift after shift with little rest, and rid after shift with little rest, and rid themselves of all anti-themselves of all anti-communist thoughts. communist thoughts.

• Made steel & no foodMade steel & no food• Results:Results:– Ultimately failed due to poor Ultimately failed due to poor

managementmanagement– Food shortages (20-40 million Food shortages (20-40 million

died from 1958-1961 during one died from 1958-1961 during one of the largest famines in of the largest famines in history). history).

The Cultural RevolutionThe Cultural Revolution• After the failure of the Great Leap Forward, After the failure of the Great Leap Forward,

communist leaders focused on rebuilding the communist leaders focused on rebuilding the ruined economy. ruined economy.

• Mao feared that society would be concerned Mao feared that society would be concerned mostly with making money which would mostly with making money which would destroy the spirit of revolution, thus he wanted destroy the spirit of revolution, thus he wanted to get rid ofto get rid of

The Four Olds (Chinese traditional arts): The Four Olds (Chinese traditional arts): – Old ideas, old culture, old customs, and old Old ideas, old culture, old customs, and old

habits (anything rooted in pre-revolutionary or habits (anything rooted in pre-revolutionary or Western culture). Western culture).

• Mao turned to students. Mao turned to students. – Red Guards; they harassed, Red Guards; they harassed,

humiliated, and imprisoned humiliated, and imprisoned “enemies” of the state “enemies” of the state

– Little Red Book - required Little Red Book - required reading in schools and the reading in schools and the workplace.workplace.

– Red Guards destroyed Red Guards destroyed anything associated with the anything associated with the “Four Olds” or Western “Four Olds” or Western Culture. Culture.

• Aftermath: Aftermath: – Mao’s wife, Jiang Qing, Mao’s wife, Jiang Qing,

gained powerful influence gained powerful influence in the CCP (Chinese in the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) and Communist Party) and implemented many implemented many radical policies of the radical policies of the Cultural Revolution.Cultural Revolution.

– After Mao’s death (Sep.9, After Mao’s death (Sep.9, 1976) the Gang of Four 1976) the Gang of Four were arrested for trying to were arrested for trying to overthrow the overthrow the government & causing the government & causing the deaths of 34,000 people deaths of 34,000 people during the Cultural during the Cultural Revolution.Revolution.

Deng XiaopingDeng Xiaoping• By 1979, Deng By 1979, Deng

Xiaoping, a leader Xiaoping, a leader twice disgraced by twice disgraced by Mao, secured control Mao, secured control of the CCP and again of the CCP and again shifted government shifted government policy toward policy toward economic economic developmentdevelopment

• Disagreed with the Disagreed with the Cultural Revolution Cultural Revolution but made it illegal to but made it illegal to criticize the criticize the governmentgovernment

• Results of the Results of the Economic ReformsEconomic Reforms

– Agricultural & Agricultural & industrial production industrial production increased increased

– China still lacked China still lacked efficient energy and efficient energy and transportation transportation systems systems (infrastructure) (infrastructure)

• Student Protest at Student Protest at Tiananmen SquareTiananmen Square

– In April 1989 students In April 1989 students held a protest at held a protest at Tiananmen SquareTiananmen Square

– Demanded that the Demanded that the government consider government consider some political reforms, some political reforms, such as freedom of the such as freedom of the press. press.

– When the government When the government refused to discuss these refused to discuss these initial demands, students initial demands, students began protesting for more began protesting for more radical reforms, such as radical reforms, such as democracy. democracy.

• In the first few weeks, the In the first few weeks, the government did little to government did little to stop the demonstrationsstop the demonstrations

• After a month - martial law After a month - martial law declared declared

• Troops were unable to Troops were unable to enter the city because enter the city because local citizens – estimated local citizens – estimated at two million – showed at two million – showed their support of the their support of the students by blocking the students by blocking the advance of the troops. advance of the troops.

• Finally, on June 3, Finally, on June 3, 1989, Deng called in 1989, Deng called in the army the second the army the second time to use force to time to use force to clear the square of clear the square of protesters, killing an protesters, killing an estimated 700-3,000 estimated 700-3,000 citizens. citizens.

Tank ManTank Man

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YeFzeNAHEhU

• Aftermath of the ProtestAftermath of the Protest– The government made a The government made a

systematic effort to find systematic effort to find & arrest the student & arrest the student leaders of the leaders of the democracy movement. democracy movement.

– The international The international community voiced community voiced outrage at the outrage at the massacre, but no massacre, but no political reforms political reforms occurred. occurred.

– In an effort to maintain power In an effort to maintain power & legitimacy, the Chinese & legitimacy, the Chinese Communist Party has not Communist Party has not made any real political made any real political reforms, but has increased reforms, but has increased economic liberties – thus no economic liberties – thus no longer truly communist but longer truly communist but still an authoritarian form of still an authoritarian form of governmentgovernment

• This has resulted in a huge This has resulted in a huge economic boom since 1989 economic boom since 1989 and satisfied the newly and satisfied the newly developing “middle classes”. developing “middle classes”.

- 800 million peasants still in800 million peasants still in

poverty poverty – Millions of peasants have Millions of peasants have

moved to urban centers in moved to urban centers in search of work. search of work.

– No political, social, No political, social, economic, or education economic, or education rights or protections from rights or protections from the government. the government.

– Lack of farm workersLack of farm workers– Rapid industrial Rapid industrial

manufacturing and lack of manufacturing and lack of environmental laws has environmental laws has caused China to become caused China to become the world’s biggest emitter the world’s biggest emitter of carbon dioxideof carbon dioxide

– Also any religious practices Also any religious practices are strongly discouragedare strongly discouraged

United States and other China’s trading partners have used sanctions to pressure China to improve its human rights record.

25

Although democracy is unwelcome in China so far,

capitalism and certain free enterprise principles have flourished!

27