Transcript Document

Origins and development of
single party states
China and Mao.
Domestic Policies and Impact
Structure and organization of
government and administration
• For administration purposes the country was
divided into six regions – each governed by a
bureau of four major officials.
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

Chairman
Party secretary
Military commander
Political commissar
• The last two posts were filled by officers of the
PLA.
Structure and organization of
government and administration
• The Communist Party claimed that all power
rested with the people and that the party officials
and the government acted as servants of the
nation.
• REALITY: Government was carried out by the
POLIBURO = under the authority of Mao
• Initially, early 1950’s Mao was cautious. He
allowed non-communists to participate in
political meetings but CCP the dominant
political party
Structure and organization of
government and administration
• At the beginning the CCP needed the technical
help and expertise to help them govern China
and run industries that were already established
by the Nationalists – but non-communists and
those that refused to become a member of the
Communist Party were replaced.
• 1954 – Constitution that officially stated that
China was a one-party state. Communist party.
Structure and organization of
government and administration
Military Control
• Reunification policy – PLA sent to the south,
west and Tibet to impose Chinese government.
PLA ruthless when imposing the new ideology –
Mao’s communist ideology
1950 – Tibet
annexed/invaded by China
Political, Social, Economic and
Religious Policies
Part One: Economic Policies
Land Reform (June 1950) Collectivisation.
• Property of landlords confiscated and re-allocated to
the peasants.
• Aimed at the destruction of the power and wealth of
the landlord class – 4% of landowners owned 40%
of China’s arable land
• Mobilisation of the masses encouraged the peasants
to lead the attack on the landlords
• Guaranteed peasant support – a lot to lose if Mao
lost power!
• Millions of landlords killed during the campaign
Political, Social, Economic and
The life of the
Religious Policies
peasants is
good after
Land Reform
Propaganda
Poster - 1951
Political, Social, Economic and
Religious Policies
Part One: Economic Policies
FIVE Year Plan (1952 – 1956)
Key Aims:
• Modernise the Chinese economy but ‘soviet’ style. –
Impressed by Stalin’s success in his five year plan.
• Develop heavy industry to put the PRC on a par with
the USSR and the West
• All private industries and businesses were
nationalised
NB: The nationalist government, under Jiang Jieshi
(or Chiang Kai Shek) had already been working
towards improved industrialisation
Political, Social, Economic and
Religious Policies
Part One: Economic Policies
• Collectivisation – economic policy governed by a
belief that peasants were to co-operatively farm
land. Profits were distributed depending on how
much work and production was achieved. People
lived in ‘communes’ = communities = working
together.
• Increased production of coal, steel and
petrochemicals
Political, Social, Economic and
Religious Policies
Installing electric lights in the
co-operative.
1958 Propaganda Poster
Political, Social, Economic and
Religious Policies
We will work
with both our
hands to turn
wasteland
into fertile
farmland
March 1956
Political, Social, Economic and
Religious Policies
Part One: Economic Policies
• Develop infrastructure – roads, railways, ports,
bridges
• Set production targets.
BUT: tendency to exaggerate the economic
performance. Fearful of not fulfilling targets –
tried to be more impressive that was actually true.
AND: dependent on Soviet Union for financial aid
and assistance
Political, Social, Economic and
Religious Policies
Bridge across the
Yangzi River at
Nanjing.
Political, Social, Economic and
Religious Policies
Part One: Economic Policies
• Considerable economic success achieved in a short
period of time. (But suspect figures)
Evidence:
• Lower inflation
• Improved production
• Grain production higher
• By 1953 – 40% of peasant households worked in
‘mutual aid’ teams.
• By 1956 most villages in collectives – 90% of
families in agricultural cooperatives
Political, Social, Economic and
Religious Policies
• Part One: Economic Policies
THE GREAT LEAP FORWARD – launched in 1958 –
1962
WHY?
• Desire for China to be independently wealthy –
industrially and agriculturally
• Free itself from a dependence on the Soviet Union
• Believed that the communal endeavour of the
Chinese people could create the success he
envisaged for China.
Political, Social, Economic and
Religious Policies
• Part One: Economic Policies
THE GREAT LEAP FORWARD – launched in 1958 –
1962
WHAT WAS IT?
• Creating higher level co operatives – setting up
70 000 communes
• Private farming ended – all farming centrally
controlled by the government
• Worked cooperatively for irrigation, flood control,
electricity, road building
• Each commune to have small number of factories
Political, Social, Economic and
Religious Policies
• Part One: Economic Policies
THE GREAT LEAP FORWARD – launched in 1958 – 1962
WHAT WAS IT?
• Work was provided for women and children
• Mao wanted to break his dependence on the Soviet Union –
He wanted to produce a surplus of food to be sold for Chinese
expansion in industry
• The workers, through a mass production of steel = a modern
industrial economy – powerful to complete with the Soviet
Union and the capitalist west.
• State owned enterprises under complete control of the
government. Targets (most unreasonable and not possible)
were set by the government.
Political, Social,
Economic and
Religious Policies
Part One: Economic Policies
THE GREAT LEAP
FORWARD – launched in
1958 – 1962
WHAT WAS IT?
Long Live the General Line
Long live the Great Leap
Forward
Political, Social, Economic and
Religious Policies
• Part One: Economic Policies
THE GREAT LEAP FORWARD – launched in 1958 –
1962
RESULTS!
Mass collectivisation programme was ineffective and
inefficient.
A great increase in the production of food DID NOT
happen – peasants were disorientated by the new way
of life
 They were unable to adapt to the new system
Political, Social, Economic and
Religious Policies
• Part One: Economic Policies
THE GREAT LEAP FORWARD – launched in 1958 –
1962
RESULTS!
No understanding of how to farm on such a large scale
Any officials who expressed doubt about the policy
were replaced
Peasants who protested were put in labour camps
The drive to produce steel locally proved disastrous.
As peasants concentrated on manufacturing steel and
not attentive to agriculture
Political, Social, Economic and
Religious Policies
• Part One: Economic Policies
THE GREAT LEAP FORWARD – launched in 1958 – 1962
RESULTS!
Between 1958 and 1962, some 40 million Chinese starved to
death due to famine, drought
Mao was unwilling to accept that the policy was a failure –
he repressed any questioning of the policy or challenges to
his idea.
Even Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev warned that it was a
dangerous experiment. Result = Soviets working in China
left and Soviet loans ceased.
Political, Social, Economic and
Religious Policies
• Part One: Economic Policies
THE GREAT LEAP FORWARD – launched in 1958 – 1962
RESULTS!
Mao: The Great Leap Forward – exposed that there was
some criticism and dissatisfaction of Mao’s economic
policies – however he was so revered and feared that he was
not challenged. (except for Peng Dehuai in 1959. He was
discredited and denounced!)
Mao withdrew from the forefront of political life – although
still very much in charge!
Deng Xiaoping and Liu Shaoqi left to restore food supplies
Political, Social, Economic and
Religious Policies
Part Two: Social Policies
Women:
Supported female equality – Mao, “Women hold
up half the sky”
Traditional practices of foot binding, concubinage,
arranged marriages were discouraged
From 1950 – killing unwanted baby girls was
officially abolished
From 1950 – Marriage Law forbade arranged
marriages, child betrothals, payment of dowries
Divorce was permissible by mutual consent
Political, Social, Economic and
Religious Policies
Part Two: Social Policies
Women:
1953 – women allowed to vote
Women were allowed to join the government and
the PLA
Prostitution was curbed
Had the same property rights as men
In the communes women were released from
traditional household chores – e.g. child minding
Political, Social, Economic and
Religious Policies
Happy Marriage 1952
In marriage keep an eye on
your own interests, and return
radiant after registration.
1953
Political, Social, Economic and
Religious Policies
A free and
independent
marriage is
good, there
is great
happiness in
unified
production.
1953
Freedom of marriage,
happiness and good
luck - 1953
Political, Social, Economic and
Religious Policies
Part Two: Social Policies
Women:
HOWEVER!
Divorce rates escalated – many from ill-treated wives.
Some remarried a number of times. Law was modified
– PLA soldiers could overrule their wives request for a
divorce
In rural and Muslim areas – families resented
government interference and policies.
Women had to do the work of men – in Mao’s China
they were considered equal – but the work was heavy
physical labour – they were worse off than before
Political, Social, Economic and
Religious Policies
Part Two: Social Policies
Women:
Values of the traditional values were difficult to change –
women in peasant western areas still were treated inferiorly
– they were subordinate
Mao and his party were still very male – dominated – only
13% of women were members of the Communist Party
Women going to work and joining the army was viewed as
destroying the family – living in communes – women and
men separate except for conjugal visits.
Social change for women = too sudden. Women felt
unhappy that their role as mothers and wives were no
longer seen as valuable.
Political, Social, Economic and
Religious Policies
Part Two: Social Policies
Education:
In 1949 – only 10% of Chinese were literate
No standardised form of language – Mandarin
Low numbers attending formal schooling
SO…..
CCP increased literacy rates – except those in ‘black’
categories
‘Pinyin’ approved language – simplified easier to earn
Secondary schooling expanded
Political, Social, Economic and
Religious Policies
Part Two: Social Policies
Education:
Assisted by the Soviet Union – textbooks, access
to universities (late split from Soviet Union late
1950s)
Textbooks were carefully vetted
Emphasized practical work experience – students
were to spend time in the fields and factories
Literacy rates in China increased – very
impressive
Most children attended school
Political, Social, Economic and
Religious Policies
Part Two: Social Policies
Education
Daddy, this is how you
write this character,
1954
Political, Social, Economic and
Religious Policies
Part Two: Social Policies
Education
Some of the issues:
Education was not free or compulsory
The quality of education varied between towns and
villages
Very anti-intellectualism – politically orientated
Those loyal to the party were advantaged
Schools were centers of indoctrination
Cultural Revolution saw schools and universities
closed down
Political, Social, Economic and
Religious Policies
Part Two: Social Policies
Education
Youth groups
Communist Youth League
Youth Pioneers
Villages ran units – red scarves = the blood spilt by the
revolutionaries
100 flowers campaign – it was the youth groups that
were mostly critical
Cultural Revolution – youth groups encouraged by
Mao to inform on parents and teachers
Political, Social, Economic and
Religious Policies
Part Three: Religious Policies
Marxist ideology considers religious belief and
worship to be superstitious and a method to
suppress the people.
Mao did not support religion – a strong antipathy
– described it a poison.
1950 = a major campaign against religion
Political, Social, Economic and
Religious Policies
Part Three: Religious Policies
Workers in power now – no need for religion – no
purpose
Religious worship is replaced with loyalty to the
Communist Party
Traditional Chinese beliefs – Buddhism and
Confucianism were forbidden to be openly
practiced
Ancestor worship condemned.
Foreign religions – Christianity and Islam –
forbidden
Political, Social, Economic and
Religious Policies
Part Three: Religious Policies
Churches, mosques closed
Property seized
Disobedience = imprisonment
Foreign religious leaders and clergy – expelled
from China
Wall posters – loudspeakers communicated the
condemnation of religion
Customs and rituals associated with religion were
outlawed – e.g. songs and dances performed at
weddings and festivals – e.g. Carols at Christmas
Political, Social, Economic and
Religious Policies
Part Three: Religious Policies
Traditional ways were replaced with political
meetings and discussions – all organised by the
party
Troupes of performers would tour the countryside
putting on shows and plays that told of the
wonders and benefits of the new Maoist world
An illusion – some churches were allowed to stay
open as long as they did not endanger the security
of the state – had to openly profess the support of
the communist regime.
Political, Social, Economic and
Religious Policies
Part Three: Religious Policies
Mao feared that religion might encourage
breakaway tendencies in the PRC’s provinces. E.g.
Tibet and Buddhists.
Total unity required for China – acceptance of
central control
The role of the arts, the media and
propaganda
Traditional culture and imperial feudal society needed
to be gone
‘Communist’ culture = in
Writers and artists to reflect communist thinking and
to educate the masses (e.g. the propaganda posters)
Poetry of the past was OK but encouraged to write
poems and stories that glorified the communist regime
Plays and films were overly propagandist
Censorship implemented in all arts, news and media
State controlled what could be published in news and
magazines
The role of the arts, the media and
propaganda
Cultural Revolution (1966 – 1976)
“If the proletariat does not occupy the positions in
literature and art, the bourgeoisie certainly will.
This struggle is inevitable”
Lin Bao.
The role of the arts, the media and
propaganda
Sale or possession of foreign literature became
punishable
Libraries and museum closed
Western music – both classical and modern
banned
Mao’s “The Little Red Book” only new material
allowed to be published in two years.
Traditional Chinese opera replaced by opera that
showed the triumph of the proletariat over its
class enemies