the rise & fall of the gang of four

Power Struggles, 1969-1976

Learning Objectives:

To identify the key features of the Gang of Four and to explain the effect of the Gang of Four on the CCP

Key Terms, Events, Names: ‘Project 571’, Gang of Four , Zhang Chunquiao, Yao Wenyuan Wang Hongwen, Jiang Qing, Hua Guofeng,

Politburo, Four Modernisations, ‘Whateverists’

Starter: Was Mao a Hero or a Villain?

How useful is the source below in understanding life in China during Mao’s era? Explain your answer.

In the days after Mao’s death I did a lot of thinking… I tried to think what his philosophy was. It seemed to me that the central principle was his need – or desire? – for perpetual conflict… He was it seemed to me, a restless fight promoter by nature and

good at it. He understood ugly human instinct such as envy and resentment and knew how to use them for his ends. He ruled by getting people to hate each other. Mao had managed to turn the people into the ultimate weapon of dictatorship. That was why

under him there was no real equivalent of the Soviet secret police in China. There was no need.

From: Wild Swans by Jung Chang

Was Mao a Hero or a Villain?

Imagine that Mao is on trial, He is accused of creating a cruel dictatorship in China as outlined in the previous source.

In groups you will either be acting as the defence or the prosecution and will be eveloping a case for or against Mao.

For Example:Defence – the problems facing him when the communists took to power, the legacy of the Japanese occupation or the achievements of the 1950s.Prosecution – The methods used by the communists, the mistakes of Mao and the period of the cultural revolution


Divide your group up so that one looks at 1919-1949 and the other 1949-1969.

You must now gather arguments AND evidence to support your case. Each side then puts images, cartoons, quotes, statistics, etc together to use as evidence. Do this in a Google Document so that it can be shared with the opposition after the debate next lesson.


Opening: Each team will present their case (you will have a maximum of 3 minutes to do this).

Debate: Once both teams have given their evidence the floor will be openned for debate. Each point made can be rebuttaled up to 3 times, however value evidence must be given to support your answer. Evereyone in the group must contribute before you can speak again.

Points: 1 point will be earnt with each new point given and up to 2 points will be given for each rebuttal based on the supporting evidence given with it. If a point is genrelaised and given with limited/no supporting evidence, then you will not gain any points.

Mao 1969-1976

When Mao announced in 1969 that the Cultural Revolution was over, he was in a very strong position. Most moderates had been expelled from the Party and from the Government, leaving his own supporters in the top positions.

LO: To identify the key features of the Gang of Four and to explain the effect of the Gang of Four on the CCP

Lin Biao and the PLA

Zhou Enlai and the

bureaucracy

Jiang Qing and the Shanghai

Radicals

Power Groupings after the Cultural Revolution


In the aftermath of the Cultural Revolution, there were three main power groupings within the Chinese political

system:

Mao 1969-1976• In 1969, Lin Biao was named

as second-in-command. However, Lin Biao began to doubt Mao whilst Mao feared that Lin might try to oust him as leader. Mao started to remove party leaders who supported Lin.

• In 1971, Lin drew up a plan to overthrow Mao which was code-named ‘Project 571’. The plot was discovered and Lin tried to escape but his plan ‘crashed’ in the Mongolian desert.


Right vs. Left in the 1970s

LO: To identify the key features of the Gang of Four and explain the effect of the Gang of Four on the CCP

LEFT RIGHT

• This was led by Mao’s wife, Jiang Qing and three radical politicians

from Shanghai known as the Gang of Four. The other three were Zhang Chunquiao, Yao

Wenyuan and Wang Hongwen.• Supported by Communist Youth

League AND had control of the press and radio.

• The Left followed Mao Zedong Thought and wanted to continue the power struggle between the

social classes.• Capitalists and Reactionaries of

all kinds had to be removed. Follow the mass line.

• The Right were led by: Prime Minister Zhou Enlai AND Deputy Prime Minister, Deng Xiaoping who had been brought back into

power.

• Supported by the CCP and the PLA.

• The Right wanted an end to political arguments and

struggles.

• Wanted reform and modernisation and supported

Zhou’s plan for Four Modernisations of China’s

industry, farming, defence and science.

1973 – Politburo split between Left and Right.

Power Struggles, 1969-1976


Jiang Qing

Yao Wenyuan

Zhang Chunquiao

Wang Hongwen

Vs.

Zhou Enlai

Deng Xiaoping

Power Struggle 1974-76

• Between 1974 ad 1976 the Left and the Right struggled fiercely for power.

• The Right backed a plan for Four Modernisations, which Zhou put forward in 1975. The plan was for the modernisation of China’s industry, farming, defence and science.

• The Left out all their energy into a series of campaigns against bourgeois and out-dated ideas in education and in artistic life of China


Rise of Gang of Four

• The Right suffered a real setback in 1976 when Zhou died and was succeeded by Deng Xiaoping.

• Zhou Enlai had been a popular leader – thousands went to his funeral to lay wreaths and put up posters criticising Jiang Qing and Mao.

• On 5th April 1976 visitors to the square found that the wreaths had been removed. 10,000 people rioted to show their support for Zhou and Deng, followed by 200 + arrests.


Rise of Gang of Four

• Jiang Qing and the Left blamed the riots on Deng and removed him from the Party and Government.

• He was replaced by Hua Guofeng – an unknown politician – he was even nicknamed ‘the helicopter’ due to his rapid rise to power. He became Mao’s choice of successor.

• The Gang of Four now seemed in control of the CCP and the government. When Mao died in September 1976, the Gang of Four prepared to take full power.


The Fall of the Gang of Four

• The Gang of Four was eventually out-manoeuvred by the Politburo – the central decision making body of the CCP.

• The Politburo gave the post of Party Chairman following Mao’s death to Hua Guofeng, the new Prime Minister.

• Hua was now in a powerful position as he now controlled the Party and the armed forces. On 6th October 1976 he arrested the Gang of Four:– They had plotted against Hua.– They were hated by millions of Chinese.


Hua versus the moderates

• Hua Guofang and his supporters were in no doubt that they should follow in the footsteps of Mao Zedong.

• In 1977 they declared that whatever Mao had said must be obeyed and whatever decisions Mao had made must be put into action. As such they became know as the ‘Whateverists’


The End of Gang of Four

• Their arrest was followed by another political campaign by the government. In the press, on radio and in posters, the Gang of Four was criticised and attacked.

• Jiang Qing was even portrayed as a cruel, scheming pornographer. In Winter 1980-1981 the Gang of Four were put on trial. All four were found guilty and sentenced to prison.

• The factional rivalry from the Cultural Revolution was over. Deng Xiaoping was rehabilitated (again) in 1978 and would succeed Hua as Chairman and supreme leader in 1980.


You are to find 5 images that you feel best portray the following about Mao’s China:1. People were better off by 19762. People were worse off by 19763. Greatest changes during Mao’s time 1919-1976

Homework: Mao’s China

the rise & fall of the gang of four

Education