China and the rule of Mao

Dynastic China

• Powerful emperors ruled China for thousands of years with the Mandate of Heaven

• 1644-1911 Qing (Manchu) Dynasty was in power– This final dynasty fell because of European

militaries and forced pressure to open to trade.

Two Thousand Years Come to an End

• In 1911, soldiers rebelled against the Manchu Dynasty in the name of Dr. Sun Yat-sen.

• Sun was a longtime critic of the Manchu Dynasty.– Influenced by Europe and the U.S.– Sun wanted to establish a modern

democratic government.

The Warlord Period

• Sun does not have military support and failed to create a western-style democracy in China.

• 1911-1927 is known as the Warlord Period, military generals fought to control the provinces within China.

• The violence takes over the countryside and peasants are exploited.

Mao and the Communist Party

• During the chaos of the Warlord Period, the Communist Party is formed.– A revolutionary group that planned to end

social and economic inequality, especially for peasants (who represented 90% of the population).

– As communist rebels conquered territory, they won the support of peasants by taking land from the rich and giving it to the poor.

“Whoever wins the peasants will win China”

-Mao Zedong

Civil War

• By 1927, General Chiang Kai-shek defeated most of the other warlords.

• Emerges as leader of the Guomindang (the Nationalist Party) and president/dictator of China.

• By 1934, Chiang surrounds small communist armies in an attempt to defeat them.

Civil War Cont…

• Mao Zedong as the commander of the Communist Party, lead 90,000 supporters over 8,000 miles of mountains (this becomes known as The Long March)

• When they rested in Northern China, there were 6,000 survivors

• This signals Mao’s rise to power and leadership.

A Truce, for now…

• Between 1937 and 1945, Chiang Kai-shek and Mao unite in an “uneasy” alliance to defeat the common enemy, the Japanese.

• After the Japanese are defeated in WWII, the Civil War continued.– Guomindang vs. the Communist army, now

known as the People’s Liberation Army (PLA)

The Communist Revolution

• The PLA is outnumbered, but uses guerilla warfare to take control of the countryside.

• The PLA continues to take land from the rich landlords and redistribute it among the peasants.

• Inflation and corruption weaken the Guomindang government

Communist Revolution Cont..

• By 1949, Communists controlled the countryside.

• The PLA swept through China with little resistance, and Chiang Kai-shek fled to Taiwan.

• On October 1, 1949, Mao Zedong proclaimed The People’s Republic of China.

• The Chinese refer to this as the “liberation”

Problems to Face

• China devastated by decades of war

• In 1950, China sends troops to North Korea to fight against American troops.

• Leaders want to modernize China’s underdeveloped economy while creating a socialist nation, in which all citizens would share in the wealth.

China turns to USSR

• In 1952, Mao established a Five-Year Plan, which focused on industrialization.

• Peasants were organized into government owned collectives.

• By 1955, considerable success is achieved, China is seen as an example for other underdeveloped countries in Asia and Africa.

The Break with USSR

• It became clear that Mao disagreed with Soviet Leaders.– Mao felt the Soviets moved too slowly toward

communism.– The Soviet Union decreases financial aid and

technical advisors to China.– Mao wanted a “uniquely Chinese” experiment, a

move toward equality through great effort and sacrifice of the masses

The Great Leap Forward

• People are organized into communes to complete large scale projects (dams, railroads, etc.)

• The goal was to catch up to Britain in 15 years.

• People worked shift after shift with little rest and were encouraged to rid themselves of improper, anti-communist thoughts.

The “Great Leap” Problems

• Poor management of the communes

• Droughts and floods resulting in one of the largest famines in history.– Many sources site 14-20 million deaths,

others 23-40 million deaths!– The government does not acknowledge

any failure and by 1961 abandons the communes.

3 and 5 Antis Campaigns

• Reforms established by Mao in 1951 and 1952 to rid China of corruption and enemies of the state, especially in Manchuria.

• Targets of these campaigns were those believed to capitalists and bourgeois.– 3 antis reforms against: corruption, waste and

bureaucracy.– 5 antis reforms against: bribery, theft of state, tax

evasion, cheating of government contracts and stealing state economic information.

Hundred Flowers Campaign

• In 1957 Mao reduced constraints placed upon China’s intellectuals and encouraged them to openly engage in criticism of the Party.

• This lasted for several weeks, until the Party recalled the request and placed the intellectuals under even more strict constraints.

The Cultural Revolution

• Communist leaders focused on rebuilding the economy, Mao worried that people were too interested in making money.

• To Mao the spirit of the revolution was threatened

• Modern China needed a cultural revolution to get rid of the “olds”; old ideas, old culture, old customs and old habits.

Mao’s Quotes

“China's women are a vast reserve of labor power. This reserve should be tapped in the struggle to build a great socialist country”

Mao’s Quotes

• We must affirm anew the discipline of the Party, namely:

• (1) the individual is subordinate to the organization;

• (2) the minority is subordinate to the majority;

• (3) the lower level is subordinate to the higher level; and

• (4) the entire membership is subordinate to the Central Committee.

• Whoever violates these articles of discipline disrupts Party unity.

Mao’s Quotes

“[Our purpose is] to ensure that literature and art fit well into the whole revolutionary machine as a component part, that they operate as powerful weapons for uniting and educating the people and for attacking and destroying the enemy, and that they help the people fight the enemy with one heart and one mind”.

Cultural Revolution Cont…

• Young people become the Red Guards and use Mao’s Little Red Book to guide them.– Homes are raided, anything of western influence

was destroyed– Temples, ancient art, historical monuments and

books were destroyed.– Hundreds of thousands are killed or imprisoned for

their anti-Mao ideas or actions

Mao’s Reign Comes to an End

• By 1969, even Mao recognized the excesses of the Red Guards.

• In the early 1970’s, Mao became ill and his wife, Jiang Qing, gained power.

• Mao dies in 1976, his wife joined with 3 others known as the Gang of Four.

• By 1979, Deng Xiaoping gains control of the Communist Party.

• Mao says your assignment is:– Country Profile #3: China, during the regime of Mao, 1949-

1975.– All three country profiles are due Dec. 17th– This assignment is just the same as Profiles #1 and #2.

• 15-20 examples of the following:• Political Aspects• Economic Aspects• Social/Cultural Aspects