The Chinese Revolution: Rise of Mao Zedong and the People's Republic

3. European Inroads in China • Qing Dynasty (1644-1912) • ‘Mandate of Heaven’ • Opium Wars(1839-42 & 1856-60) • weakness of Qing Dynasty • foreign powers gain access to treaty ports • China’s sovereignty eroded • Open Door Policy and Foreign Domination • Sino-Japanese War (1894-95) • Boxer Rebellion, 1901 • anti-foreign, anti-colonial, anti-Christian uprising • The Chinese Revolution of 1911 • Sun Yat-sen (1866-1925) • Western ideas & Chinese values • Three Principles of the People • Nationalism – Democracy– Socialism • Republic of China • Rise of Warlords • China still weak…..who will unify?

4. Paris Peace Conference, 1919 • T of V gives German China to Japan • Communists merge with Kuomintang (Nationalists) • CCCP (USSR) allies itself to Kuomintang Party, 1924 • End warlordism & imperial control • Soviets supply military hardware, expertise • Chiang Kai-Shek replaces Sun Yat-sen, 1925 • Ideological clash….communists growing influence Chiang Kai-Shek Mao Zedong Sun Yat-sen • Communist Party (CCP) • Marxism • mass protest • social revolution • Peasantry • 1921 – 50 CCP • 1924 – 20 000 • 1927 – 60 000 • Kuomintang Party • militaristic • nationalist VS. • Elitist • Chiang’s private agenda, preservation • Allies – USA, Britain, USSR • Chinese Civil War, 1927 – 1949 • Chiang supported by Americans, the West – WWII (they hope he will defeat Japan); unreliable ally? • Mao begins guerilla war campaign – knows he cannot defeat Nationalists in open battle…….

5. The Long March Q. What (Who?) does Mao believe is key to the revolution? • Mao retreats to south China – • establishes base of power • civilian government • guerilla warfare • peasant alliance • land reform • does not alienate middle class • Moscow is not always right • The Long March, ‘34-35 • 100 000 march for one year…..6 000 miles…….30 000* survive (or 10 000?) • ‘Odyssey unequalled in modern times….’ • Impact – mission, hope, destiny, lionization of Mao, sacrifice, ideals, people prevail • How does Mao (in obscurity) achieve success? • (2nd) Sino-Japanese War, 1937-45 • Nationalists lose base – Shanghai, Hong Kong, coastal cities • Mao seen as symbol of resistance to foreigners; fights Japanese more often than Chiang’s Nationalists • Land reform • absent landlords • War intensifies crisis of peasantry ‘The Red Army lives among the people as a fish dwells in water’

6. Mao Zedong • People’s Republic of China (Est. October 1, 1949) • Why does Chiang lose this protracted civil war? How does Mao win? • How does Chinese Revolution differ from Russian Revolution? • Civil war? • Nationalist war (against a foreign oppressor), as well as a struggle to establish communism • Not a classic Marxist situation – why? Who will lead the revolution (aside from Mao)? • Not a conspiracy (Bolshevik), but an open struggle • Preeminence of Mao • Revolutionary • Political strategist • Military commander Savior of the nation? Cult-like figure? • Poet • Visionary • Philosopher • "Revolution is not a dinner party, nor an essay, nor a painting, nor a piece of embroidery; it cannot be advanced softly, gradually, carefully, considerately, respectfully, politely, plainly, and modestly. A revolution is an insurrection, an act of violence by which one class overthrows another."

7. China in 1949 How will China differ from USSR? • ‘Mandate from Heaven?’ • Democratic Centralism • total obedience to its leaders • Mao Zedong (Communist Party) • Chou Enlai (Bureaucracy and Gov’t) • Land reform • Eliminate landlord class • Collectivize • Agrarian reform • National Unification • Taiwan • Tibet • Xinjiang • Urban malfunction • Malnutrition – food shortages – famine • Crime – corruption – riots • Economic malaise – inflation, joblessness • Terror and Counter-Revolution • Korean War, 1950-53 • Imperialist threat…..

8. Maoism • Ideas and will of the people will prevail over economics • Human Determinism v. Economic Determinism • Ideology • ….thought control and people power • Nationalism • ….revolutionary, anti-imperialist – ‘the West is not best’ • Populist • mass protest…….the importance of a social revolution • Rural (Agrarian) Based • ‘Unity of working, living, and land’….’sending down’ • ‘innate wisdom of the peasant’ • Anti-urban – specialist – bureaucrat • Communism without Proletariat • The First Plan – • Similar to New Economic Plan of USSR, also borrows concepts of Five Year Plan • Some aid from USSR (technology, advisors….) • Emphasis on heavy industries (trucks, planes, tanks, tractors)…..18% growth/yr • Leads to collectivization of land (unpopular, but……) • No slave labour, purges, Kulaks, army requisitioning, etc…… • Literacy – twice the schools, 4X number of University students….

9. China in the 1950s • 100 Flower Campaign, 1957 • ‘Let 100 flowers bloom and 100 schools of thought compete’ • Criticisms allowed until the campaign was hastily terminated • What happens in world affairs 1956 that frightens Mao? • CCP leadership purged/controlled Deng Xiaoping • Collectivization • Great Leap Forward, 1957-60 • the ‘Commune’ – autonomous, self-sufficient……process of ‘decentralization • labour intensive projects • tax collection • ideological • rejection of USSR model – no specialists, equality – utopia? • Failure • food shortages…..commune unit too large • transportation problems • animals slaughtered • Natural disasters – flood and drought • famine • Mao’s prestige compromised • LuiShaoqui • Deng Xiaoping

10. Cultural Revolution, 1966-76 • Mao unleashes forces he is unable to control • end ascendancy of bureaucracy and ‘modified capitalism’ • rid communism of western influences • Red Guards • cultural storm troopers……the ‘little red book’ • intellectuals, reformists attacked – opposition to ‘the elites’ • But – factionalism arises within Red Guards Civil War? • Cult of Personality • Chaos • Social, economic, political upheaval frightens CCP • Chou Enlai call in People’s Liberation Army (Red Army) • Mao betrays the revolution he instigated • Bureaucracy reasserts its ascendancy • Death of Mao, 1976 • Legacy? Success or Failure? • Gang of Four Show Trial • Symbolic rejection of Cultural Revolution?

11. Rise of Deng Xiaoping (1904-97) ‘It doesn't matter if a cat is black or white, so long as it catches mice.’ • bring China into modern word….. • ‘Socialism with Chinese Characteristics’ • not a nation of revolutionary idealists, but a modern industrial state…. • economic liberalism – ‘market forces permitted’ • political conservatism – restrictions of civil rights, freedoms & democracy • Four Modernizations • Industry • Science and Technology • Agriculture • Defense • Foreign trade • ‘Open Door Policy?’ • Exploit supply of Chinese workers • Allows for new technologies, monies and greater economic growth • Special Economic Zones • several port cities…..controlled environment (i. e. Shanghai) • special tax incentives….for foreign investment • foreign experts and goods

12. Rise of an Asian Tiger? • Pillars of Modernization? • Industry • Science and Technology • Agriculture • Defense • Foreign Trade • Special Economic Zones (SEZ) • De-collectivization • return to family agriculture • surplus labour to factories in SEZ • End of ‘Iron Rice Bowl’ (Centralized Planning Model) • Evolution of ‘market forces’ results in – • less benefits • less job security • Bureaucratic Capitalism • CCP bureaucrats positioned to make money…. • State capitalism • One Child Policy, 1979-2015 • Overpopulation • rewards/penalties approach to family planning • Social costs? • Male offspring desired more than female?

13. Deng’s Challenges • Allowing ‘market forces’ in a totalitarian regime ……impact? • Does economic liberalism equate with political liberalism? • the influence of ‘the west’ upon China’s political culture…. • more China modernized, more society moved toward west in expression • but, liberalization only gives ‘illusion of freedom’ • tensions exist within CCP and across Chinese society thru 1980s • Does the ‘end game’ in China have to be ‘democracy,’ as we know it? • Tiananmen Square, 1989 • University students question CCP hold on ‘freedoms’ • 1 million gather in Tiananmen Square……historic square in Beijing • Media attention upon the events unfolding in China • CCP orders ‘People’s Army’ to break up protests in Tiananmen • Several hundred protesters, civilians killed (at least) • West condemns China’s crackdown, speak out on human rights abuses…. • but, the west continues to trade, in fact it continues to grow….lip service? • Setting the limits of political liberalization? • Twenty Years On • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GbMju_F9x3w