Communist Revolution

China’s Civil War In 1911, after thousands of years of being ruled by emperors, the last of China’s royal dynasty’s was toppled In 1911, after thousands of years of being ruled by emperors, the last of China’s royal dynasty’s was toppled Over the next years, China was in chaos as different groups struggled to control the country Over the next years, China was in chaos as different groups struggled to control the country By the 1930s, China entered a period of civil war between 2 main political parties to determine who would control the country By the 1930s, China entered a period of civil war between 2 main political parties to determine who would control the country

2 Political Parties Fight for Control Nationalist Party (KMT) led by Chiang Kai-shek led by Chiang Kai-shek wanted democratic gov’t wanted democratic gov’t Communist Party (CCP) led by Mao Zedong led by Mao Zedong wanted communist gov’t wanted communist gov’t

Communists Win After years of civil war, the Communist Party wins the fight for control After years of civil war, the Communist Party wins the fight for control In 1949, Mao Zedong officially declared China a Communist nation called the People’s Republic of China In 1949, Mao Zedong officially declared China a Communist nation called the People’s Republic of China Chiang Kai-shek and his nationalist party were forced to flee to the tiny island of Taiwan Chiang Kai-shek and his nationalist party were forced to flee to the tiny island of Taiwan

Chairman Mao Mao Zedong = head of Chinese Communist Party (CCP) & gov’t Mao Zedong = head of Chinese Communist Party (CCP) & gov’t Communist party set ALL gov’t policies, giving Chairman Mao nearly absolute power Communist party set ALL gov’t policies, giving Chairman Mao nearly absolute power

Communism’s Goal The goal of communism is to make everyone as equal as possible, to have a “classless” society The goal of communism is to make everyone as equal as possible, to have a “classless” society There is no private ownership of property (ex. land, businesses) There is no private ownership of property (ex. land, businesses) Everything is run by the gov’t, like factories, schools, hospitals Everything is run by the gov’t, like factories, schools, hospitals The gov’t provides jobs for everyone and pays everyone the same amount of money, no matter what their job or how well they do it The gov’t provides jobs for everyone and pays everyone the same amount of money, no matter what their job or how well they do it

The Chinese Communist Party... took land from the wealthy and gave it to the poor took land from the wealthy and gave it to the poor took control over China’s factories and businesses, determining what and how much should be made took control over China’s factories and businesses, determining what and how much should be made forced peasant farmers to combine all their land together into “collective farms” and work together to grow food forced peasant farmers to combine all their land together into “collective farms” and work together to grow food

Mao Zedong leads Communist Revolution 1949 What is it? What is it? China became a communist nation

Cause… Communist Party won civil war with the Nationalist party Communist Party won civil war with the Nationalist party

Effect… created classless society where all people are equal created classless society where all people are equal no private ownership of property no private ownership of property Everything is run by the gov’t Everything is run by the gov’t

Importance… Mao created the Modern nation of China and the basis of it’s current government Mao created the Modern nation of China and the basis of it’s current government

Great Leap Forward (1958) What was it? A program meant to speed up China’s economic development A program meant to speed up China’s economic development Goals were set for agriculture (farming) and industry (factories) production Goals were set for agriculture (farming) and industry (factories) production All small farms were combined into larger farms called “communes” where all ownership and decisions were in the hands of the gov’t All small farms were combined into larger farms called “communes” where all ownership and decisions were in the hands of the gov’t

The Communes Each contained about 5000 families Each contained about 5000 families People gave up their ownership of tools, animals, etc. so that everything was owned by the commune. People now worked for the commune and not for themselves. The life of an individual was controlled by the commune. People gave up their ownership of tools, animals, etc. so that everything was owned by the commune. People now worked for the commune and not for themselves. The life of an individual was controlled by the commune. The commune provided all that was needed – including schools, nurseries, and entertainment. The commune provided all that was needed – including schools, nurseries, and entertainment. Communist Party members oversaw the work of a commune to ensure that decisions followed the correct party line. Communist Party members oversaw the work of a commune to ensure that decisions followed the correct party line. Propaganda was everywhere – including in the fields where the workers could listen to political speeches as they worked. Propaganda was everywhere – including in the fields where the workers could listen to political speeches as they worked. Everybody involved in communes was urged not only to meet set targets but to beat them. If the communes lacked machinery, the workers used their bare hands. Everybody involved in communes was urged not only to meet set targets but to beat them. If the communes lacked machinery, the workers used their bare hands. By the end of 1958, 700 million people had been placed into 26,578 communes. By the end of 1958, 700 million people had been placed into 26,578 communes.

Mao had toured China and concluded that the Chinese people were capable of anything

Propaganda poster of the steel production objective. The text reads: "Take steel as the key link, leap forward in all fields",

“Backyard Furnaces” The Great Leap Forward encouraged communes to set up "back-yard" production plants. The most famous were 600,000backyard furnaces which produced steel for the communes.

Cultural Revolution (1966) A program to increase support for and remove opposition to the Communist party A program to increase support for and remove opposition to the Communist party All parts of life were suppose to be about communism – work, school, personal beliefs, art, etc. All parts of life were suppose to be about communism – work, school, personal beliefs, art, etc.

Chinese poster saying: "We'll destroy old world and build new." A worker crushes the cross, Buddha, and classical Chinese texts with his hammer

Chinese poster showing Jiang Qing, saying:"Let new communist culture conquer every stage."

Cultural Revolution… What is it? program to increase support for and remove opposition to the Communist party program to increase support for and remove opposition to the Communist party All parts of life suppose to be about communism All parts of life suppose to be about communism Red Guards (groups of students) patrolled for people Mao concerned “uncommunist” Red Guards (groups of students) patrolled for people Mao concerned “uncommunist”

Cause Large gap still existed b/w educated elite (rich) and peasants (poor) Large gap still existed b/w educated elite (rich) and peasants (poor) Renew support for communist party Renew support for communist party

Effects Red Guards mistreated many people Red Guards mistreated many people Anything connected to foreign ideas & old Chinese ideas destroyed Anything connected to foreign ideas & old Chinese ideas destroyed People sent out to the countryside to do hard labor People sent out to the countryside to do hard labor People told on each other for “crimes” against communism People told on each other for “crimes” against communism

Importance Time of chaos Time of chaos Many killed or committed suicide Many killed or committed suicide

Cultural Revolution cont. Mao set out to rid the Chinese Communist Party of anyone who did not fully support him Mao set out to rid the Chinese Communist Party of anyone who did not fully support him Red Guards (groups of students) patrolled for people Mao concerned “uncommunist” Red Guards (groups of students) patrolled for people Mao concerned “uncommunist”

Cultural Revolution cont. Anyone who was thought to have developed a superior attitude was considered an enemy of the party and the people Anyone who was thought to have developed a superior attitude was considered an enemy of the party and the people Mao wanted to create a China in which peasants, workers, and educated people worked together – no-one was better than anyone else and all working for the good of China – a classless society Mao wanted to create a China in which peasants, workers, and educated people worked together – no-one was better than anyone else and all working for the good of China – a classless society

Tiananmen Sqaure student protests in 1989 in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square against the corruption & repression of China’s communist government

Goddess of Democracy modeled after America’s Statue of Liberty

an unarmed student stands up against communist soldiers