Mao's Rise to Power to Modern China

1. Communist China:Communist China:
Rise of Mao to Modern DayRise of Mao to Modern Day

2. The Rise of Mao ZedongThe Rise of Mao Zedong
• In the 1920s, theIn the 1920s, the
People’s LiberationPeople’s Liberation
Army (PLA) wasArmy (PLA) was
formed:formed:
– Wanted to end social &Wanted to end social &
economic inequality,economic inequality,
especially for the peasantsespecially for the peasants
(90% of the population).(90% of the population).

3. • 1920s-1930s, millions of1920s-1930s, millions of
peasants starved due topeasants starved due to
unequal land distribution.unequal land distribution.
– Communists won favorCommunists won favor
with the peasants by takingwith the peasants by taking
land from landlords thenland from landlords then
redistributing it to poorredistributing it to poor
peasants.peasants.

4. Civil War in ChinaCivil War in China
• 1927, General Jiang Jieshi1927, General Jiang Jieshi
(Chiang Kai-shek) defeated(Chiang Kai-shek) defeated
other regional warlords toother regional warlords to
establish himself as presidentestablish himself as president
of China.of China.
– Leader of the ChineseLeader of the Chinese
Nationalist PartyNationalist Party

5. • 1934,1934, Chiang Kai-shekChiang Kai-shek
surrounded smallsurrounded small
Communist armies andCommunist armies and
attempted to defeatattempted to defeat
them.them.
– Mao’s forces were driven
from southern and eastern
China by Kai-shek. Mao led
his forces on a long
march to safety
in the northwest part of
China.
– The Long MarchThe Long March
– 90,000 began, only 6,000 of90,000 began, only 6,000 of
them would survive.them would survive.

6. The Victory of the CommunistThe Victory of the Communist
RevolutionRevolution
• 1937-1945,1937-1945, Chiang Kai-Chiang Kai-
shekshek & Mao united their& Mao united their
armies to fight against thearmies to fight against the
Japanese during WorldJapanese during World
War II.War II.
• After WWII, theyAfter WWII, they
continued their civil warcontinued their civil war
for the control of China.for the control of China.

7. • By 1949, the PLABy 1949, the PLA
controlled most of thecontrolled most of the
countryside and manycountryside and many
of Chiang Kai-shek’sof Chiang Kai-shek’s
troops defected to thetroops defected to the
PLA.PLA.
– Kai-shek then fled to TaiwanKai-shek then fled to Taiwan
(with U.S. support).(with U.S. support).
– On October 1949, MaoOn October 1949, Mao
Zedong proclaims that theZedong proclaims that the
People’s Republic of ChinaPeople’s Republic of China
is establishedis established

8. The Influence of Soviet SocialismThe Influence of Soviet Socialism
• Mao turns to the USSR for help.Mao turns to the USSR for help.
– He faced establishing a socialistHe faced establishing a socialist
nation and the need tonation and the need to
modernize China’smodernize China’s
underdeveloped economy.underdeveloped economy.

9. • Mao adopted the SovietMao adopted the Soviet
Five Year Plan &Five Year Plan &
Collectivization (1952-Collectivization (1952-
1957):1957):
– Five Year Plan: modernizeFive Year Plan: modernize
technology & science totechnology & science to
develop heavy industrydevelop heavy industry
– Collectivization: Mao reversedCollectivization: Mao reversed
original land reform andoriginal land reform and
peasants were organized intopeasants were organized into
government owned collectivesgovernment owned collectives

10. –By 1955, China, with the help ofBy 1955, China, with the help of
Soviet aid, had achievedSoviet aid, had achieved
considerable success inconsiderable success in
developing heavy industry &developing heavy industry &
increasing agricultural production.increasing agricultural production.
–Mao believed the Soviets reliedMao believed the Soviets relied
too much on technological expertstoo much on technological experts
and ignored the peasantsand ignored the peasants

11. The Great Leap ForwardThe Great Leap Forward
• 1956, Mao asked1956, Mao asked
intellectuals to commentintellectuals to comment
on his first 5 years ofon his first 5 years of
leadership.leadership.
– Severely punished thoseSeverely punished those
who criticized himwho criticized him

12. • In the 1950s Chinese wereIn the 1950s Chinese were
organized into communes radicallyorganized into communes radically
changing the farming systemchanging the farming system
• All people had to work shift after shiftAll people had to work shift after shift
with little rest, and rid themselves ofwith little rest, and rid themselves of
all anti-communist thoughts.all anti-communist thoughts.
• Made steel & no foodMade steel & no food
• Results:Results:
– Ultimately failed due to poorUltimately failed due to poor
managementmanagement
– Food shortages (20-40 million diedFood shortages (20-40 million died
from 1958-1961 during one of thefrom 1958-1961 during one of the
largest famines in history).largest famines in history).

13. The Cultural RevolutionThe Cultural Revolution
• After the failure of the Great Leap Forward,After the failure of the Great Leap Forward,
communist leaders focused on rebuilding the ruinedcommunist leaders focused on rebuilding the ruined
economy.economy.
• Mao feared that society would be concerned mostlyMao feared that society would be concerned mostly
with making money which would destroy the spirit ofwith making money which would destroy the spirit of
revolution, thus he wanted to get rid ofrevolution, thus he wanted to get rid of
The Four Olds (Chinese traditional arts):The Four Olds (Chinese traditional arts):
– Old ideas, old culture, old customs, and old habitsOld ideas, old culture, old customs, and old habits
(anything rooted in pre-revolutionary or Western(anything rooted in pre-revolutionary or Western
culture).culture).

14. • Mao turned to students.Mao turned to students.
– Red Guards; they harassed,Red Guards; they harassed,
humiliated, and imprisonedhumiliated, and imprisoned
“enemies” of the state“enemies” of the state
– Little Red Book - required readingLittle Red Book - required reading
in schools and the workplace.in schools and the workplace.
– Red Guards destroyed anythingRed Guards destroyed anything
associated with the “Four Olds” orassociated with the “Four Olds” or
Western Culture.Western Culture.

15. • Aftermath:Aftermath:
– Mao’s wife, Jiang Qing,Mao’s wife, Jiang Qing,
gained powerful influence ingained powerful influence in
the CCP (Chinesethe CCP (Chinese
Communist Party) andCommunist Party) and
implemented many radicalimplemented many radical
policies of the Culturalpolicies of the Cultural
Revolution.Revolution.
– After Mao’s death (Sep.9,After Mao’s death (Sep.9,
1976) the Gang of Four were1976) the Gang of Four were
arrested for trying toarrested for trying to
overthrow the government &overthrow the government &
causing the deaths of 34,000causing the deaths of 34,000
people during the Culturalpeople during the Cultural
Revolution.Revolution.

16. Deng XiaopingDeng Xiaoping
• By 1979, Deng Xiaoping,By 1979, Deng Xiaoping,
a leader twice disgraceda leader twice disgraced
by Mao, secured controlby Mao, secured control
of the CCP and againof the CCP and again
shifted government policyshifted government policy
toward economictoward economic
developmentdevelopment
• Disagreed with theDisagreed with the
Cultural Revolution butCultural Revolution but
made it illegal to criticizemade it illegal to criticize
the governmentthe government

17. • Results of the EconomicResults of the Economic
ReformsReforms
– Agricultural & industrialAgricultural & industrial
production increasedproduction increased
– China still lacked efficientChina still lacked efficient
energy and transportationenergy and transportation
systems (infrastructure)systems (infrastructure)

18. • Student Protest atStudent Protest at
Tiananmen SquareTiananmen Square
– In April 1989 students held aIn April 1989 students held a
protest at Tiananmen Squareprotest at Tiananmen Square
– Demanded that theDemanded that the
government consider somegovernment consider some
political reforms, such aspolitical reforms, such as
freedom of the press.freedom of the press.
– When the governmentWhen the government
refused to discuss these initialrefused to discuss these initial
demands, students begandemands, students began
protesting for more radicalprotesting for more radical
reforms, such as democracy.reforms, such as democracy.

19. • In the first few weeks, theIn the first few weeks, the
government did little to stopgovernment did little to stop
the demonstrationsthe demonstrations
• After a month - martial lawAfter a month - martial law
declareddeclared
• Troops were unable to enterTroops were unable to enter
the city because local citizensthe city because local citizens
– estimated at two million –– estimated at two million –
showed their support of theshowed their support of the
students by blocking thestudents by blocking the
advance of the troops.advance of the troops.

20. • Finally, on June 3, 1989,Finally, on June 3, 1989,
Deng called in the armyDeng called in the army
the second time to usethe second time to use
force to clear the squareforce to clear the square
of protesters, killing anof protesters, killing an
estimated 700-3,000estimated 700-3,000
citizens.citizens.

21. Tank ManTank Man
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YeFzeNAHEhU

22. • Aftermath of the ProtestAftermath of the Protest
– The government made aThe government made a
systematic effort to find &systematic effort to find &
arrest the student leadersarrest the student leaders
of the democracyof the democracy
movement.movement.
– The internationalThe international
community voiced outragecommunity voiced outrage
at the massacre, but noat the massacre, but no
political reforms occurred.political reforms occurred.

23. – In an effort to maintain power &In an effort to maintain power &
legitimacy, the Chineselegitimacy, the Chinese
Communist Party has not madeCommunist Party has not made
any real political reforms, but hasany real political reforms, but has
increased economic liberties – thusincreased economic liberties – thus
no longer truly communist but stillno longer truly communist but still
an authoritarian form ofan authoritarian form of
governmentgovernment
• This has resulted in a hugeThis has resulted in a huge
economic boom since 1989 andeconomic boom since 1989 and
satisfied the newly developingsatisfied the newly developing
“middle classes”.“middle classes”.

24. - 800 million peasants still in800 million peasants still in
povertypoverty
– Millions of peasants haveMillions of peasants have
moved to urban centers inmoved to urban centers in
search of work.search of work.
– No political, social, economic,No political, social, economic,
or education rights oror education rights or
protections from theprotections from the
government.government.
– Lack of farm workersLack of farm workers
– Rapid industrial manufacturingRapid industrial manufacturing
and lack of environmental lawsand lack of environmental laws
has caused China to becomehas caused China to become
the world’s biggest emitter ofthe world’s biggest emitter of
carbon dioxidecarbon dioxide
– Also any religious practicesAlso any religious practices
are strongly discouragedare strongly discouraged

25. United States and other China’s
trading partners have used sanctions
to pressure China to improve its
human rights record.
25

26. Although
democracy is
unwelcome in
China so far,
capitalism and
certain free
enterprise
principles have
flourished!

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