Mao Zedong and China: Origins and Rise to Power IB History: Authoritarian and Single-Party States

About the Unit Authoritarian/Single-Party State = A government controlled by a single political party and/or regimes that defend their political or economical control by keeping all of society passive. Authoritarian/Single-Party States developed and operated throughout the 20th Century ( ) and we will study three examples. Hitler and Nazi Germany (Fascism) Mao Zedong and China (Communism) Stalin and the Soviet Union (Communism) We will study these examples through four areas: Origins (how did they begin) Ideology and Nature (what beliefs did they promote) Establishment (how did they get power) Policies and their impact (what they did and the effects)

Establishment and Consolidation of Power The Chinese Communist party established government structures and mass movements to keep control of the Chinese people and Mao purged the party and public of those opposed to his ideas and actions The new government in China under the communist government was democratic in name only because it was designed in a way to keep the party in power Mass movements of supporters of the Chinese Communist Party provided surveillance over the population and identified opposition to the party. The army was used to take control of areas that were remote or had operated independently under the Nationalist government, and new laws greatly reduced the power of wealthy land owners. Four mass campaigns removed officials Gao Gang and Rao Shushi from the Chinese Communist Parties because of their opposition to Mao, and even Mao’s former colleagues and loyal advisors, such as Deng Xiaoping, Lin Biao, and Liu Shaoqi were “purged.” In order to fight against public opposition to him, Mao implemented the “Socialist Education Movement” and the “Cultural Revolution” in which people were either convinced to support Communism through propaganda or experienced violence at the hands of the supporters Constant propaganda, fear, and the Chinese Communist Party’s control over the police and legal system ensured control over the Chinese people.

Propaganda from the “Cultural Revolution,” which includes images of Mao Zedong Deng Xiaoping, one of Mao’s colleagues who was “purged” for opposing his ideas

Domestic Policies and their Impact Mao believed he could turn China into a world power by putting his Chinese version of Communism into practice, but his success was limited, he persecuted intellectuals and creative minds, and destroyed some of China’s cultural history Mao could not immediately put his ideas into practice because he needed to rebuild China after the civil war and needed to use some Capitalist practices from the former government to do it Collectivism, or the practice of doing everything in terms of what’s best for the community, was introduced in stages starting the farmers and then moving to collectives and communes. Central planning of the economy was attempted through the efforts called the “Five-Year Plan” and the “Great Leap Forward” but it failed as some peasants resented collectivism and industrial production slowed. The economy was revived by leaders Liu Shaoqi and Deng Xiaoping but then deteriorated as they were “purged” from the Chinese Communist Party for opposing Mao. Efforts to bring equality to women and to improve education failed because strong women were alienated socially and intelligence and creativity weren’t rewarded unless it supported Mao’s ideas. The Chinese Communist Party tried to decrease the power of organized religion by only allowing Churches that supported Mao’s ideas, but there success was still limited.

Photograph from a Chinese Commune, where people live and work together Photograph of Chinese workers producing steel at night, during the “Great Leap Forward” China attempted to double steel production to compete with the United Kingdom and United States

Summary The Chinese Communist party established government structures and mass movements to keep control of the Chinese people and Mao purged the party and public of those opposed to his ideas and actions Mao believed he could turn China into a world power by putting his Chinese version of Communism into practice, but his success was limited, he persecuted intellectuals and creative minds, and destroyed some of China’s cultural history