Communist Communist China:China:

Rise of Mao to Modern Rise of Mao to Modern DayDay

• Attempted Political Attempted Political RevolutionRevolution– 1911, soldiers 1911, soldiers

rebelled against rebelled against Qing Dynasty Qing Dynasty under the under the leadership of leadership of Sun Yat-sen Sun Yat-sen (longtime critic (longtime critic of the Manchus). of the Manchus).

– He wanted to He wanted to establish a establish a western-style western-style democratic democratic government. government.

The Warlord PeriodThe Warlord Period• Sun Yat-sen failed to Sun Yat-sen failed to

create a democracy, create a democracy, instead warlords instead warlords (military generals) (military generals) fought to control fought to control various provinces in various provinces in China. China.

• This period lasted until This period lasted until 1927, resulted in 1927, resulted in violence in the violence in the countryside. Peasants countryside. Peasants were exploited by were exploited by bandits and lesser bandits and lesser warlords. warlords. Warlord of Manchuria

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).

– Mao Zedong was the Mao Zedong was the Communist founder, Communist founder, he believed that he believed that “whoever wins the “whoever wins the peasants will win peasants will win China.” China.”

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

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

Civil War in ChinaCivil War in China• 1927, General Jiang 1927, General Jiang

Jieshi (Chiang Kai-Jieshi (Chiang Kai-shek) defeated other shek) defeated other regional warlords to regional warlords to establish himself as establish himself as president & virtual president & virtual dictator of China. dictator of China. – He was the leader of He was the leader of

the Guomindang the Guomindang (Nationalist Party). (Nationalist Party).

– He fought for 20 years He fought for 20 years against the against the increasingly influential increasingly influential Communist armies. Communist armies.

• 1934, Jiang Jieshi 1934, Jiang Jieshi surrounded small surrounded small Communist armies Communist armies and attempted to and attempted to defeat them. defeat them. – Mao Zedong then Mao Zedong then

led 90,000 led 90,000 Communist Communist supporters over supporters over thousands of miles thousands of miles of in the mountains, of in the mountains, this would be called this would be called the Long March. the Long March.

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

The Victory of the Communist The Victory of the Communist RevolutionRevolution

• 1937-1945, Jiang Jieshi 1937-1945, Jiang Jieshi & Mao united their & Mao united their armies in an uneasy armies in an uneasy alliance to fight alliance to fight against the Japanese against the Japanese during World War II. during World War II.

• After WWII, the After WWII, the Guomindang and the Guomindang and the People’s Liberation People’s Liberation Army (PLA) continued Army (PLA) continued their civil war for the their civil war for the control of China. control of China.

• Though heavily Though heavily outnumbered, the outnumbered, the PLA used peasant PLA used peasant support and guerilla support and guerilla tactics to win. tactics to win. – As the PLA took over, As the PLA took over,

they confiscated land they confiscated land from rich landlords from rich landlords and redistributed it to and redistributed it to poor peasants. poor peasants.

– Meanwhile, the Meanwhile, the Guomindang Guomindang controlled the major controlled the major cities but faced cities but faced inflation and inflation and widespread widespread corruption. corruption.

• By 1949, the PLA By 1949, the PLA controlled most of the controlled most of the countryside and many countryside and many of Jiang Jieshi’s troops of Jiang Jieshi’s troops defected to the PLA. defected to the PLA. – Jiang Jieshi then Jiang Jieshi then

fled to Taiwan (with fled to Taiwan (with U.S. support). U.S. support).

– On October 1949, On October 1949, Mao Zedong Mao Zedong proclaims that the proclaims that the People’s Republic People’s Republic of China is of China is established established (“liberation”). (“liberation”).

The Influence of Soviet The Influence of Soviet SocialismSocialism• Mao turns to the USSR Mao turns to the USSR

for help. for help. – He faced establishing He faced establishing

a socialist nation and a socialist nation and the need to modernize the need to modernize China’s China’s underdeveloped underdeveloped economy. economy.

– Also, in 1950, he felt Also, in 1950, he felt compelled to send compelled to send troops to aid troops to aid Communist North Communist North Korea to fight the Korea to fight the United States in the United States in the Korean War. Korean War.

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

objective is to objective is to modernize key aspects modernize key aspects of the economy within of the economy within 5 years (technology & 5 years (technology & science to develop science to develop heavy industry). heavy industry).

– Collectivization: Mao Collectivization: Mao reversed original land reversed original land reform and peasants reform and peasants were organized into were organized into government owned government owned collectives (rather than collectives (rather than having their own land).having their own land).

– 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.

– Communist leaders even Communist leaders even spoke of China as a model for spoke of China as a model for less-industrialized nations in less-industrialized nations in Africa & Asia to copy. Africa & Asia to copy.

• Breaking from Soviet Socialism: Breaking from Soviet Socialism: – By 1956, Chairman Mao By 1956, Chairman Mao

disagreed with Soviet disagreed with Soviet leaders. leaders.

– He believed they relied too He believed they relied too much on machine & much on machine & technological experts, and technological experts, and not enough on human spirit not enough on human spirit & the socialist value of & the socialist value of equality. equality. • Consequently, the Soviets Consequently, the Soviets

decreased financial aid & decreased financial aid & withdrew technical withdrew technical advisors.advisors.

– He wanted to achieve full He wanted to achieve full communism much more communism much more quickly through a uniquely quickly through a uniquely Chinese socialist experiment Chinese socialist experiment must achieve “equality” must achieve “equality” through great effort & through great effort & sacrifice from the masses. sacrifice from the masses.

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. – However, he severely However, he severely

punished those who punished those who criticized him & criticized him & consequently re-consequently re-evaluated the evaluated the revolutionary spirit of revolutionary spirit of the Chinese people. the Chinese people.

• Mao started large Mao started large scale industrial scale industrial projects (dams, projects (dams, reservoirs, railroads, reservoirs, railroads, etc.)etc.)

• Mao organized peasants into Mao organized peasants into People’s Communes People’s Communes (regimented into semi-military (regimented into semi-military lines lines peasants ate & worked peasants ate & worked together). together).

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

• Results:Results:– Ultimately failed due to poor Ultimately failed due to poor

management. management. – Food shortages (hundreds of Food shortages (hundreds of

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

– Without acknowledging any failure, Without acknowledging any failure, the CCP began retreating from the CCP began retreating from these policies. these policies.

– Officially ending in 1961, many Officially ending in 1961, many peasants still refer to this period as peasants still refer to this period as the “three hard years.” the “three hard years.”

The “Great Leap Forward”…The “Great Leap Forward”…

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.

• With the successes of the economic recovery in With the successes of the economic recovery in the early 1960s, Mao feared that society would the early 1960s, Mao feared that society would be concerned most with making money & be concerned most with making money & destroy the spirit of revolution, thus he must get destroy the spirit of revolution, thus he must get rid of The Four Olds: rid of The Four Olds: – Old ideas, old culture, old customs, and old habits Old ideas, old culture, old customs, and old habits

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

• Many leaders in the Communist Party opposed Many leaders in the Communist Party opposed Mao’s plan to reverse the successful economic Mao’s plan to reverse the successful economic recoveryrecovery

• So, Mao turned to young people So, Mao turned to young people (high school and college (high school and college students). students). – They became the “Red They became the “Red

Guards”; they harassed, Guards”; they harassed, humiliated, and imprisoned humiliated, and imprisoned “enemies” of the state “enemies” of the state (usually the educated (usually the educated Chinese, city dwellers, & Chinese, city dwellers, & corrupt officials). corrupt officials).

– Mao published theMao published the Little Red Little Red BookBook containing his containing his quotations and was required quotations and was required reading in schools and the reading in schools and the workplace.workplace.

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

• Communist leaders lost control Communist leaders lost control of the Red Guards, and China of the Red Guards, and China was brought to the brink of was brought to the brink of anarchy. anarchy. – At first, even after Red At first, even after Red

Guards beat people to Guards beat people to death, the police & military death, the police & military were under Mao’s orders not were under Mao’s orders not to interfere.to interfere.

– By 1967, organized marches By 1967, organized marches had become angry mobs had become angry mobs that attacked teachers, civil that attacked teachers, civil leaders, & foreign leaders, & foreign diplomats. diplomats.

– Thousands died and Thousands died and hundreds of thousands had hundreds of thousands had been imprisoned.been imprisoned.

• In 1969 Mao finally ordered the In 1969 Mao finally ordered the Red Guards to disband and for Red Guards to disband and for the military to impose law & the military to impose law & order. order.

• Aftermath: Aftermath: – As Mao became old & As Mao became old &

ill in the early 1970s, ill in the early 1970s, his wife, Jiang Qing, his wife, Jiang Qing, gained powerful gained powerful influence in the CCP influence in the CCP and continued many and continued many radical policies of the radical policies of the Cultural Revolution.Cultural Revolution.

– When Mao died in When Mao died in 1976 his wife & three 1976 his wife & three radical colleagues, radical colleagues, known as the Gang of known as the Gang of Four, were arrested for Four, were arrested for trying to overthrow the trying to overthrow the government & causing government & causing the deaths of 34,000 the deaths of 34,000 people during the people during the Cultural Revolution.Cultural 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 Communist of the Communist Party and again shifted Party and again shifted government policy government policy toward economic toward economic development. development.

• He condemned the He condemned the Cultural Revolution Cultural Revolution and called for “less and called for “less empty talk and more empty talk and more hard work”.hard work”.

• Deng’s reforms were Deng’s reforms were called the Four called the Four Modernizations – science, Modernizations – science, industry, technology, & industry, technology, & defense – and argued that defense – and argued that they were needed to they were needed to modernize China. modernize China.

• Unlike Mao who distrusted Unlike Mao who distrusted intellectuals, Deng praised intellectuals, Deng praised scientists & engineers and scientists & engineers and wanted China to rise wanted China to rise above its peasant culture. above its peasant culture.

• Mao believed that the Mao believed that the central government in central government in Beijing should plan a Beijing should plan a socialist economy for all socialist economy for all China, while Deng shifted China, while Deng shifted power & responsibility power & responsibility from the capital to local from the capital to local governments. governments.

• Economic Reforms in Agriculture & IndustryEconomic Reforms in Agriculture & Industry– In agriculture, Deng initiated the Responsibility In agriculture, Deng initiated the Responsibility

System, which permitted peasants to sell crops from System, which permitted peasants to sell crops from their own private plots at local markets – if they first their own private plots at local markets – if they first produced a government quota to be given to the produced a government quota to be given to the government. government. • This led to increased production. This led to increased production.

– In industry, capitalist enterprise came to be accepted. In industry, capitalist enterprise came to be accepted. • Citizens were allowed to start their own private Citizens were allowed to start their own private

businesses, hire people to work, and to earn a profit. businesses, hire people to work, and to earn a profit. • Deng also created Special Economic Zones, in which Deng also created Special Economic Zones, in which

foreign investors were permitted to build factories, foreign investors were permitted to build factories, using cheap Chinese labor to reproduce goods using cheap Chinese labor to reproduce goods mostly intended for export. mostly intended for export.

– Still, many Chinese workers preferred employment in Still, many Chinese workers preferred employment in State Owned Enterprises (SOEs) due to promises of State Owned Enterprises (SOEs) due to promises of lifetime employment, housing, healthcare, and lifetime employment, housing, healthcare, and retirement. retirement.

• Results of the Results of the Economic ReformsEconomic Reforms– Agricultural & Agricultural &

industrial production industrial production increased increased enormously after enormously after Deng began his Deng began his economic reforms. economic reforms.

– Despite this Despite this success, however, success, however, China still lacked China still lacked efficient energy and efficient energy and transportation transportation systems. systems.

• The Call for Political ReformThe Call for Political Reform– During the first 10 years of Deng’s During the first 10 years of Deng’s

rule, people expressed a desire to rule, people expressed a desire to have political reforms coincide with have political reforms coincide with the successful economic reforms. the successful economic reforms.

– In 1978 people created posters In 1978 people created posters criticizing the government & criticizing the government & attached them to a wall in Beijing, attached them to a wall in Beijing, known as the Democracy Wall.known as the Democracy Wall.

– In 1986 thousands of students In 1986 thousands of students protested for democracy in the protested for democracy in the cities of Hefei, Wuhan, & Shanghai.cities of Hefei, Wuhan, & Shanghai.

– The communist authoritarian The communist authoritarian government usually stopped these government usually stopped these protests by arresting key leaders. protests by arresting key leaders. State censorship was also used to State censorship was also used to limit discussion of political reform.limit discussion of political reform.

• 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 Square, the Tiananmen Square, the main public square in main public square in the capital city of the capital city of Beijing. Beijing.

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

– When the government When the government refused to discuss refused to discuss these initial demands, these initial demands, students began students began protesting for more 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 demonstrations, stop the demonstrations, even as some students even as some students went on hunger strikes as went on hunger strikes as acts of protest.acts of protest.

• Finally, after a month of Finally, after a month of protest & an enormous protest & an enormous amount of international amount of international attention, the government attention, the government ordered troops into Beijing ordered troops into Beijing to impose martial law to impose martial law (military rule over (military rule over civilians). civilians).

• 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, which it protesters, which it did, killing an did, killing an estimated 700-3,000 estimated 700-3,000 citizens. citizens.

• Although the protest is Although the protest is often called the often called the Tiananmen Square Tiananmen Square Massacre, most of the Massacre, most of the dead were actually not dead were actually not students and were students and were killed as soldiers were killed as soldiers were fighting their way into fighting their way into the square. the square.

Tank ManTank Man

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

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

– Some of the top Some of the top leaders in the CCP leaders in the CCP were removed from were removed from power & disgraced as power & disgraced as sympathizers of the sympathizers of the protest. protest.

– 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 (the single Communist Party (the single party who rules all level of party who rules all level of Chinese government) has not Chinese government) has not made any real political reforms, made any real political reforms, but has increased economic but has increased economic liberties – thus no longer liberties – thus no longer communist but still an communist but still an authoritarian form of 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”.

– They thus do not generally They thus do not generally clamor for political clamor for political freedoms & they continue freedoms & they continue to support the CCP who to support the CCP who they see as making they see as making economic success possible. economic success possible.

• Those who fuel the Those who fuel the economic boom as economic boom as cheap labor are the cheap labor are the 800 million peasants 800 million peasants who continue to live who continue to live in poverty. in poverty. – In the largest In the largest

migration in human migration in human history, millions of history, millions of peasants have moved peasants have moved to urban centers in to urban centers in search of work. search of work.

– They have no political, They have no political, social, economic, or social, economic, or education rights or education rights or protections from the protections from the government. government.