Mao and the CCP Consolidate Power China #4 1949 -1976 Mao and the CCP Consolidate Power

1949 Jiang fled to Formosa (Taiwan) --> established a nationalist gov. in Taiwan --> still separate from China today (Chinese view it as joined, Taiwan doesn’t) Mao proclaimed the establishment of the People’s Republic of China --> Mao became Chairman --> Zhou Enlai became Premier

1950 Agrarian Land Reform Law passed --> widespread confiscation of landlords property - given to poor peasants --> Speak Bitter Meetings - peasants to spoke out against their landlords --> Struggle Sessions - members of the CCP and community coerced individuals into confessing crimes --> many landlords executed

1950 Marriage Law passed --> gave women rights and equality with men --> abolished feudal marriage system (had included arranged marriages, male dominance, disregard of the interest of children, child marriages, etc) --> new regulations included legal marriages age, banning of in-family marriages, mutual-consent divorces and shared ownership of marital property --> hard to enforce in secluded country areas Mao sent troops to North Korea to help against advancing UN and US troops

1952 Mao signed a Sino-Japanese trade agreement 3 Antis Campaign (Corruption, Waste, Too Much Red Tape) 5 Antis Campaign (Bribery, Tax Evasion, Fraud, Theft of Gov. Property, Spying) --> both aimed at businessmen and gov. officials

1952 1st 5 Year Plan --> emphasized industrial development rather than agricultural --> aimed to introduce collectivisation Interest groups set up --> CCP-run --> people encouraged to join

1953 Mao encouraged people to join/form cooperatives/communes All Chinese citizens granted suffrage (except country-revolutionaries and landlords) 86% of all industry was under gov. control Bad harvests and famine (1953-4)

Consolidation Period Mid 1950s --> 1976

1956 Hundred Flowers Campaign --> initially aimed at discussing China’s problems in a way that would lead to new forms of art and new cultural institutions. --> Mao saw an opportunity to promote socialism - believed if intellectuals were invited to discuss CCP policies that would realize its superiority to capitalism --> began to publicly criticize those who had not put in any ‘healthy criticism’

1957 Anti-Rightist and 2nd Rectification Campaigns --> millions of intellectuals began to criticize every aspect of the CCP gov. --> Mao felt it had gone beyond the ‘healthy’ level and set out to silence them --> some arrested and sent to re-education camps, some underwent public re-education in public criticism meetings, some executed --> some sources believe Mao had not anticipated how the HFC would develop, others believe it was a plot to ‘entice snakes out of their lair’

1958 Great Leap Forward aimed to introduce the people to the socialist way of life while improving China’s economy to overtake US and UK --> massive transfer of labour from towns and cities to rural areas --> 600, 000 ‘backyard furnaces’ set up to take in every bit of metal (inc. cooking/harvest equip.) --> people exaggerated production figures even though machinery was failing, metal from furniture was useless and very little agricultural output was produced --> failed and 30million died --> did achieve est. of new industries (e.g. nuclear) and completion of irrigation projects

1959-61 A split occurred within the CCP over Mao’s policies --> Mao lost some power - Liu Shaoqi replaced him as Head of State (1959) Liu introduced New Economic Policy --> broke down communes, allowed private ownership, rented machinery to peasants --> helped increase production but also allowed corruption and collusion to re-emerge

1962-66 Maoist nation had disappeared --> production was up but peasants were suffering Mao launched the Socialist Education Movement --> hoped to reassert his his position and restore the ‘fading socialist vision’ --> propaganda fostered 3 important ‘isms’ - collectivism, patriotism, socialism --> Mao developed a grudge against Liu and his followers, such as Deng Xiaoping

1966-76/77 Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution --> another of Mao’s attempts to purge China of ‘rightists’ - esp. those within the CCP --> Liu Shaoqi was expelled from the CCP --> Mao encouraged the Red Guards (not a military group, but merely the nation’s youth that held a cult following of Mao) to destroy the ‘4 Olds’ - thought, culture, customs, habits --> did not specify what was classified as ‘old’ --> RGs ravaged China, destroying much of its cultural heritage and abusing/attacking people on the streets --> when he regained control, Mao began a suppression of the guards which culminated in conflict between the PLA and the RGs --> many RGs were deported to the countryside

1975 Zhou Enlai est. the ‘4 Modernizations (agricultural, technology, industry and defence) --> China’s economy was opened up to the world, allowing for increased imports and foreign investment --> commune system brought to an end and original villages re-established -->private ownership allowed, with subsidies to protect against low sales --> farmers were not confidant in the scheme

1976 Zhou Enlai died - this greatly disturbed the Chinese people who had loved and respected him --> the Gang of Four (leftist political faction made up of CCP officials, with Mao’s last wife, Jiang Qing at its head) forbade the wearing of black armbands, making wreaths or displaying portraits of Zhou --> these orders were ignored and the people of Beijing massed in Tianenmen Square to pay their respects --> Jiang Qing ordered the removal of the wreaths and the arrests of the mourners - the militia was employed to prevent any more demonstrations --> Zhou’s succeeder, Hua Guofeng, ordered the arrest of the Gang of Four

1976 Mao Zedong died (also succeeded by Hua Guofeng) --> occurred after a series of earthquakes - some believed they had been signs that Mao had lost his ‘Mandate from Heaven’ The Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution died with Mao

China After Mao Mao’s legacy came under scrutiny He is seen as “The Great Helmsman” of the Revolution and formation of the State. However it is “officially” recognised that he made mistakes.