4. China is the most populous nation in the world.China is the most populous nation in the world.
There are technically 2 Chinas:There are technically 2 Chinas:
• TheThe People’s Republic of ChinaPeople’s Republic of China-a-a communist statecommunist state onon
the Asian mainland.the Asian mainland.
• TaiwanTaiwan, aka the, aka the Republic of ChinaRepublic of China-is a small island-is a small island
that today is one of the Asian Tigers. It has athat today is one of the Asian Tigers. It has a non-non-
communist governmentcommunist government..
5. The People’s Republic of China still considersThe People’s Republic of China still considers
TaiwanTaiwan aa part of Chinapart of China proper.proper.
Efforts to re-unite the 2 Chinas have sometimesEfforts to re-unite the 2 Chinas have sometimes
led toled to tensiontension because Taiwan values itsbecause Taiwan values its
independence.independence.
7. Mao ZedongMao Zedong emerged as theemerged as the leader of theleader of the
CommunistsCommunists in the 1930s.in the 1930s.
Along with 100,000 of his followers, Mao fledAlong with 100,000 of his followers, Mao fled
thethe anti-communist Nationalist Partyanti-communist Nationalist Party, forces in, forces in
1934 in a retreat known as the1934 in a retreat known as the Long MarchLong March..
8. Mao set up a base camp in northern China withMao set up a base camp in northern China with
about 20,000 survivors of the march.about 20,000 survivors of the march.
In the years that followed, theIn the years that followed, the CommunistsCommunists, the, the
GuomindangGuomindang, and, and JapaneseJapanese invadersinvaders battled forbattled for
control of Chinacontrol of China..
9. After World War II, China’s civil war continued.After World War II, China’s civil war continued.
Finally, in 1949,Finally, in 1949, Mao’s Communists wereMao’s Communists were
victoriousvictorious in defeating the Guomindang forces.in defeating the Guomindang forces.
The followers ofThe followers of the Nationalist Party fled tothe Nationalist Party fled to
the island of Taiwanthe island of Taiwan..
11. TheThe Communists set up theCommunists set up the
People’s Republic of ChinaPeople’s Republic of China
(PRC) in 1949.(PRC) in 1949.
They wanted toThey wanted to transformtransform
China from anChina from an agriculturalagricultural
societysociety into ainto a modernmodern
industrial nationindustrial nation..
Under communism, literacyUnder communism, literacy
increased, old landlord andincreased, old landlord and
business classes werebusiness classes were
eliminated, and ruraleliminated, and rural
Chinese were provided withChinese were provided with
health care.health care.
12. However,However, MaoMao set up aset up a one-party dictatorshipone-party dictatorship
thatthat denied people basic rights and freedomsdenied people basic rights and freedoms..
14. In 1958,In 1958, MaoMao
launched alaunched a programprogram
called thecalled the Great LeapGreat Leap
ForwardForward..
He called on theHe called on the
people of China topeople of China to
increase agriculturalincrease agricultural
and industrial outputand industrial output..
To make farms moreTo make farms more
productive, heproductive, he
createdcreated communescommunes,,
groups of people whogroups of people who
live and worklive and work
togethertogether..
15. TheThe Great LeapGreat Leap
ForwardForward ultimatelyultimately
failedfailed..
Commune-basedCommune-based
industries turned outindustries turned out
poorly made goods.poorly made goods.
At the same time,At the same time,
agricultural outputagricultural output
declineddeclined..
Bad weather added toBad weather added to
the downturn, creatingthe downturn, creating
widespread famine.widespread famine.
17. In 1966,In 1966, MaoMao launched thelaunched the Cultural RevolutionCultural Revolution toto
renew people’s loyalty to communism andrenew people’s loyalty to communism and
establish a more equitable societyestablish a more equitable society..
Mao fearedMao feared thatthat revolutionary peasants andrevolutionary peasants and
workersworkers were beingwere being replacedreplaced byby intellectualsintellectuals inin
running the country.running the country.
20. HeHe shut down schoolsshut down schools andand universitiesuniversities throughoutthroughout
China and urged Chinese students to experienceChina and urged Chinese students to experience
the revolution for themselves.the revolution for themselves.
Students formed groups of fightersStudents formed groups of fighters called thecalled the
Red GuardsRed Guards..
TheyThey attacked professorsattacked professors,, government officialsgovernment officials,,
andand factory managersfactory managers, many of whom were, many of whom were
exiled or executed.exiled or executed.
21. The reddest, reddest, red sun in our heart,The reddest, reddest, red sun in our heart,
Chairman Mao, and us togetherChairman Mao, and us together
Zhejiang Workers, Farmers and Soldiers ArtZhejiang Workers, Farmers and Soldiers Art
Academy collective, 1968Academy collective, 1968
Mao’s
Little Red
Book
23. Go among the workers, peasants andGo among the workers, peasants and
soldiers, and into the thick of struggle!soldiers, and into the thick of struggle!
1967-19721967-1972
28. Due to theDue to the fears offears of
communismcommunism during the earlyduring the early
stages of thestages of the Cold WarCold War,,
thethe United States refusedUnited States refused
to recognize the People’sto recognize the People’s
Republic of ChinaRepublic of China..
By the 1970s, however,By the 1970s, however,
this situation was changing.this situation was changing.
China won admission into theChina won admission into the
United NationsUnited Nations in 1971 andin 1971 and
President Richard NixonPresident Richard Nixon
visited Mao Zedongvisited Mao Zedong inin
Beijing in 1972.Beijing in 1972.
29. Finally, in 1979,Finally, in 1979, the United States officiallythe United States officially
recognized the People’s Republic of Chinarecognized the People’s Republic of China..
31. In 1976, Mao Zedong died andIn 1976, Mao Zedong died and Deng XiapongDeng Xiapong
took controltook control..
His leadership would bringHis leadership would bring more economicmore economic
freedomfreedom butbut little political changelittle political change..
33. To make China a moreTo make China a more modern countrymodern country,, DengDeng
promoted foreign tradepromoted foreign trade and moreand more contact withcontact with
western nationswestern nations..
He also introduced theHe also introduced the Four ModernizationsFour Modernizations..
These were concentrated into four areas:These were concentrated into four areas:
1.1. FarmingFarming-methods were modernized and mechanized-methods were modernized and mechanized
2.2. IndustryIndustry-was upgraded and expanded-was upgraded and expanded
3.3. ScienceandTechnologyScienceandTechnology-were promoted and developed-were promoted and developed
4.4. DefenseDefense-systems and military forces were improved-systems and military forces were improved
34. Limited PrivatizationLimited Privatization
DengDeng eliminatedeliminated Mao’sMao’s
unpopularunpopular communescommunes..
He allowedHe allowed land to beland to be
leasedleased to individualto individual
farmers.farmers.
This systemThis system increasedincreased
agricultural outputagricultural output..
The government alsoThe government also
allowed some privateallowed some private
businesses to producebusinesses to produce
goods and offer services.goods and offer services.
35. Foreign InvestmentForeign Investment
Deng alsoDeng also welcomedwelcomed
foreign technologyforeign technology
and capitaland capital..
The government setThe government set
up specialup special
enterprise zonesenterprise zones
where foreignerswhere foreigners
could own andcould own and
operate businesses.operate businesses.
36. Results of Economic ReformsResults of Economic Reforms
Deng’s policiesDeng’s policies had bothhad both positivepositive andand negativenegative
resultsresults..
TheThe economy greweconomy grew, and, and some Chinesesome Chinese enjoyed aenjoyed a
better standard of livingbetter standard of living..
Foreign relationsForeign relations andand trade improvedtrade improved..
CrimeCrime andand corruption grewcorruption grew, however, and the gap, however, and the gap
between rich and poor widened.between rich and poor widened.
42. The government wasThe government was
willing to grant economicwilling to grant economic
reforms but not politicalreforms but not political
ones.ones.
In May 1989,In May 1989,
demonstratorsdemonstrators in Beijingin Beijing
occupiedoccupied TiananmenTiananmen
SquareSquare, demanding, demanding moremore
rights and freedomsrights and freedoms..
When they refused toWhen they refused to
disperse as ordered,disperse as ordered,
thethe government sent ingovernment sent in
troops and tankstroops and tanks..
43. Thousands of Chinese wereThousands of Chinese were killedkilled oror woundedwounded..
The incident showed how important it was forThe incident showed how important it was for
China’s communist leaders to maintain controlChina’s communist leaders to maintain control..
During the 1990s efforts were made to forceDuring the 1990s efforts were made to force
China toChina to end human rights violationsend human rights violations..
However, to date, these efforts have hadHowever, to date, these efforts have had
limited effects.limited effects.
58. In 1842,In 1842, BritainBritain hadhad
gainedgained thethe island of Hongisland of Hong
KongKong, off the northern, off the northern
coast of China.coast of China.
In the 1980s, Britain andIn the 1980s, Britain and
China decided thatChina decided that HongHong
Kong would return toKong would return to
Chinese ruleChinese rule in 1997.in 1997.
China agreed not toChina agreed not to
change Hong Kong’s socialchange Hong Kong’s social
or economic system for 50or economic system for 50
years and to allow theyears and to allow the
island a degree ofisland a degree of self-self-
rulerule..
59. The island wasThe island was officially turned overofficially turned over to China onto China on
July 1, 1997.July 1, 1997.
60. The Role of Women:The Role of Women:
Communist China Compared ToCommunist China Compared To
Dynastic ChinaDynastic China
61. Traditionally, inTraditionally, in DynasticDynastic
ChinaChina,, women werewomen were
treated as inferior totreated as inferior to
menmen..
The only role for aThe only role for a
woman was that of awoman was that of a
wifewife..
InIn Communist ChinaCommunist China,,
however,however, women gainedwomen gained
some rightssome rights..
Under theUnder the new Chinesenew Chinese
constitutionconstitution, women won, women won
equalityequality under the law.under the law.
62. They now were expected toThey now were expected to work alongside menwork alongside men
on farms and in factories.on farms and in factories.
However, only a fewHowever, only a few womenwomen had top jobs inhad top jobs in
government andgovernment and commonlycommonly werewere not paid thenot paid the
same as men for doing the same worksame as men for doing the same work..
63. DemographyDemography
► may be no surer predictor of
destiny than trade data. But of
the two momentous changes
championed by Deng Xiaoping a
quarter-century ago, coercive
population controls and experiments
with market economics, the jury is
still out on which will do more to
shape China's long-term potential.
66. DemographyDemography
► "The evidence is overwhelming that a
large population of unmarried adult
males is a risk factor for both crime
and war," Ms. den Boer said in an
interview. "The fact that China is an
authoritarian country is another risk
factor."
67. SUMMARYSUMMARY
TheThe CommunistsCommunists, under, under Mao ZedongMao Zedong, rose, rose
to power in China after World War II.to power in China after World War II.
TheirTheir appeal to peasants and to womenappeal to peasants and to women,,
theirtheir superior armysuperior army, and, and lack of supportlack of support
for the Nationalistsfor the Nationalists led to victory for theled to victory for the
Communists. The communist governmentCommunists. The communist government
severelyseverely restricted the rights andrestricted the rights and
freedoms of most Chinesefreedoms of most Chinese. Later leaders,. Later leaders,
such assuch as Deng XiaopingDeng Xiaoping, allowed, allowed freefree
market reformsmarket reforms butbut little political freedomlittle political freedom..
Violations of human rightsViolations of human rights in China havein China have
oftenoften made relationsmade relations withwith ChinaChina and theand the
United StatesUnited States difficult.difficult.
