CHINA UNDER DENG XIAOPING (1976-PRESENT)

After Mao Zedong died in 1976, Deng Xiaoping emerged as China’s new leader. Although a Communist, Deng seemed willing to change the way of life imposed by Mao in order to make China into a more modern nation. Deng aimed to show that not all of Mao’s actions had been perfect. He allowed the people more freedom of thought, greater contact with other nations, and a new

legal code. He also introduced greater economic freedom by permitting some limited private enterprises to exist.

THE ECONOMY UNDER DENG XIAOPING: Deng faced many economic problems when he replaced Moa as leader. The most serious problem was China’s growing population. Therefore, Deng changed Communism in China by adding some capitalist features to its economy. For example, farmers were now able to own land, people could run their own small businesses, and productive workers could earn bonuses. These reforms were quite successful. In addition, China started producing more radios, televisions, and other consumer goods to Western Countries like the U.S.

FOUR MODERNIZATIONS- ECONOMIC REFORMS OF DENG XIAOPING

Responsibility System

Allowed peasants to own land and keep the profits.

Incentive Program

The best and most efficient factory

managers received bonuses.

Foreign Capital & Technology

Foreign investment is encouraged in China.

Foreigners could set up their own business in

special economic zones.

Entrepreneurship

Some private ownership of businesses was

allowed to make and keep profits.

Outcome: Crop production increases

Outcome: Increases industrial production

Outcome: Helps Chinese businesses and industries to modernize.

Outcome: The amount and quality of goods increases

DENG XIAOPING’S FOUR MODERNIZATIONS OF CHINA: Deng supported the economic growth that been introduced after the Cultural Revolution and introduced a plan known as the Four Modernizations of China. The production of food became the nation’s highest goal. To increase food output, communes, were replaced by family-run farms that used land leased from the state. The government took some produce for rent but families could keep or sell the remainder. Managers were given the power to make industrial plants (factories) more efficient; they could also rely on supply and demand to determine their production levels. Individuals were allowed to own small businesses and private property. Foreign investment and technology were welcomed.

WERE DENG XIAOPING’S LIMITED REFORMS SUCCESSFUL? Under Deng, China’s economy grew and the standard of living rose. New ideas entered China through the newly open doors to the west but despite these changes, critics of the communist system were still arrested. However, new freedoms in economics led to ideas of freedom in government and thousands of people, including pro-democracy students, began to demonstrate.

PROTESTS IN TIANANMEN SQUARE: When Chinese students began to learn about democracy they wanted more political freedom and civil rights for the Chinese people. In Beijing, (China’s capital city) in 1989, large numbers of Chinese peacefully protested in Tiananmen Square for more democracy. Angered by these demonstrations, the government sent in tanks and soldiers. As the world watched, Premier Li Peng ordered tens of thousands of troops into the square to break up the demonstrations. Many students were killed; others were executed after brief trials. Still others were arrested or never heard of again. “The Tiananmen Square Massacre” showed the world what Deng and the Chinese government would do when they believed that the Communist system was being threatened.

Directions: Using complete sentences, answer the following questions based on the reading.

1. Discuss how Deng Xiaoping tried to modernize China. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

2. How did Deng’s policies differ from those of Mao Zedong? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

3. What led to the Tiananmen Square student demonstrations and why was the world shocked by its outcome? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Directions: Based on the Readings, answer questions Multiple Choice questions 4 and 5 below.

4. 5.

Name: __________________________________________

6. List the “Four Modernizations” introduced by Deng Xiaoping.

7. Complete the Venn Diagram

Mao Zedong Deng Xiaoping

(Famous Economic Program: _____________________) (Famous Economic Program: ______________________)

MAO ZEDONG       1893-1976

The charismatic Mao led the Chinese Communist Party from 1931 until his death. Starting in October of 1934 during the war with Chinese Nationalist Kuomintang forces, Mao led the Communist Army on “The Long March,” a nearly year-long retreat across China covering thousands of miles. After defeating Japanese forces during World War II, the Communists turned on the Kuomintang and established the People’s Republic of China in October 1949.Mao embraced a Marxist-Leninist vision of a worker’s revolution. In 1957 Mao launched the Great Leap Forward, a massive program of industrial and agricultural nationalization to catch up economically with the West. Villages were turned into Chinese “communes” and given unattainable production goals by the state. Communes were ordered to produce steel in backyard mills by melting down any metal they could find. It was a national disaster and led to three years of famine for China. Mao blamed the failure on the bureaucracy of the Communist Party. In 1966 Mao launched the Cultural Revolution to purge the nation of any impure communists. He designated young people as “Red Guards,” empowered to report their parents, families and neighbors for any breach in party thought. In the violent chaos that followed, many died and millions were imprisoned. The economy stagnated and Chinese citizens lived in constant fear of arrest. The perpetual revolution only ended after Mao’s death.

DENG XIAOPING       1904-1997

Born in Sichaun province, Deng Xiaoping was a close advisor to Mao and a veteran of “The Long March” of 1934. Deng was purged from the government during the Cultural Revolution, imprisoned, released and arrested two more times. After Maos’ death, Deng was politically “rehabilitated.” He was one of the only original Mao supporters to survive, and in 1978 ascended to become the new leader of the Chinese Communist Party. Deng embarked on “The Four Modernizations”— of agriculture, industry, technology and defense. He reversed the trend of state centralization, and allowed gradual individual economic initiatives. Deng had a saying that had infuriated Mao: “It doesn’t matter if the cat is black or white, as long as it catches mice.”

But with gradual economic openness came the beginnings of political opposition. In April 1989 protests began in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square. Deng tolerated the protestors for nearly two months, but on June 3 and 4 troops moved in and brutally repressed the demonstration. Estimates of the dead and imprisoned range from hundreds to thousands. Despite the crackdown on political freedoms, it seemed that economic changes were here to stay. In 1993, the National People’s Congress enshrined the term “socialist market economy” in the constitution.