Chinese Communist Chinese Communist RevolutionRevolution
Global History Unit #6Global History Unit #6
Two ChinasTwo Chinas
Map of China and TaiwanMap of China and Taiwan
Today, Today, China is the most populous nation China is the most populous nation in the worldin the world..
There are technically 2 Chinas:There are technically 2 Chinas:• The The People’s Republic of ChinaPeople’s Republic of China-a -a communist communist
statestate on the Asian mainland. on the Asian mainland.• TaiwanTaiwan, aka the , aka the Republic of ChinaRepublic of China-is a small -is a small
island that today is one of the Asian Tigers. It island that today is one of the Asian Tigers. It has a has a non-communist governmentnon-communist government..
The People’s Republic of China still The People’s Republic of China still considers considers TaiwanTaiwan a a part of Chinapart of China proper. proper.
Efforts to re-unite the 2 Chinas have Efforts to re-unite the 2 Chinas have sometimes led to sometimes led to tensiontension because Taiwan because Taiwan values its independence.values its independence.
Communist Communist Rise To PowerRise To Power
1936-19491936-1949
Mao ZedongMao Zedong emerged as the emerged as the leader of the leader of the CommunistsCommunists in the 1930s. in the 1930s.
Along with 100,000 of his followers, Along with 100,000 of his followers, Mao Mao fled the Guomindangfled the Guomindang, or the , or the anti-communist anti-communist Nationalist PartyNationalist Party, forces in 1934 in a retreat , forces in 1934 in a retreat known as the known as the Long MarchLong March..
Mao set up a base camp in northern China Mao set up a base camp in northern China with about 20,000 survivors of the march.with about 20,000 survivors of the march.
In the years that followed, the In the years that followed, the CommunistsCommunists, , the the GuomindangGuomindang, and , and JapaneseJapanese invaders invaders battled for control of Chinabattled for control of China..
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 were Mao’s Communists were
victoriousvictorious in defeating the Guomindang forces. in defeating the Guomindang forces. The followers of The followers of the Nationalist Party fled to the the Nationalist Party fled to the
island of Taiwanisland of Taiwan..
Communism Under Communism Under Mao ZedongMao Zedong
The The Communists set up Communists set up the People’s Republic of the People’s Republic of ChinaChina (PRC) in 1949. (PRC) in 1949.
They wanted to They wanted to transformtransform China from an China from an agricultural societyagricultural society into a into a modern industrial nationmodern industrial nation..
Under communism, Under communism, literacy increased, old literacy increased, old landlord and business landlord and business classes were eliminated, classes were eliminated, and rural Chinese were and rural Chinese were provided with health provided with health care.care.
However, However, MaoMao set up a set up a one-party dictatorshipone-party dictatorship that that denied people basic rights and freedomsdenied people basic rights and freedoms..
The Great Leap The Great Leap ForwardForward
In 1958, In 1958, MaoMao launched launched a a programprogram called the called the Great Leap ForwardGreat Leap Forward..
He called on the He called on the people of China to people of China to increase agricultural increase agricultural and industrial outputand industrial output..
To make farms more To make farms more productive, he created productive, he created communescommunes, , groups of groups of people who live and people who live and work togetherwork together. .
The The Great Leap Great Leap ForwardForward ultimately ultimately failedfailed..
Commune-based Commune-based industries turned out industries turned out poorly made goods.poorly made goods.
At the same time, At the same time, agricultural output agricultural output declineddeclined..
Bad weather added Bad weather added to the downturn, to the downturn, creating widespread creating widespread famine. famine.
The Cultural The Cultural Revolution Revolution
&& The Red Guard The Red Guard
In 1966, In 1966, MaoMao launched the launched the Cultural Cultural RevolutionRevolution to renew people’s loyalty to to renew people’s loyalty to communism and establish a more equitable communism and establish a more equitable societysociety..
Mao fearedMao feared that that revolutionary peasants and revolutionary peasants and workersworkers were being were being replacedreplaced by by intellectualsintellectuals in running the country.in running the country.
He He shut down schoolsshut down schools and and universitiesuniversities throughout China and urged Chinese throughout China and urged Chinese students to experience the revolution for students to experience the revolution for themselves.themselves.
Students formed groups of fightersStudents formed groups of fighters called called the the Red GuardsRed Guards..
They They attacked professorsattacked professors, , government government officialsofficials, and , and factory managersfactory managers, many of , many of whom were exiled or executed.whom were exiled or executed.
United States United States Recognition of Recognition of
Communist ChinaCommunist China
Due to the Due to the fears of fears of communismcommunism during the during the early stages of the early stages of the Cold Cold WarWar, the , the United States United States refused to recognize the refused to recognize the People’s Republic of People’s Republic of ChinaChina..
By the 1970s, however, By the 1970s, however, this situation was this situation was changing.changing.
China won admission into China won admission into the United Nationsthe United Nations in 1971 in 1971 and and President Richard President Richard Nixon visited Mao ZedongNixon visited Mao Zedong in Beijing in 1972. in Beijing in 1972.
Finally, in 1979, Finally, in 1979, the United States officially the United States officially recognized the People’s Republic of Chinarecognized the People’s Republic of China..
Communism Under Communism Under Deng XiaopingDeng Xiaoping
In 1976, Mao Zedong died and In 1976, Mao Zedong died and Deng Deng Xiapong took controlXiapong took control. .
His leadership would bring His leadership would bring more economic more economic freedomfreedom but but little political changelittle political change..
Economic Economic Reforms:Reforms:The Four The Four
ModernizationsModernizations
To make China a more To make China a more modern countrymodern country, , Deng Deng promoted foreign tradepromoted foreign trade and more and more contact contact with western nationswith western nations..
He also introduced the He 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 -methods were modernized and mechanizedmechanized
2. 2. IndustryIndustry-was upgraded and expanded-was upgraded and expanded
3. 3. Science and TechnologyScience and Technology-were promoted and -were promoted and developeddeveloped
4. 4. DefenseDefense-systems and military forces were -systems and military forces were improvedimproved
Limited PrivatizationLimited Privatization Deng Deng eliminatedeliminated Mao’s Mao’s
unpopular unpopular communescommunes.. He allowed He allowed land to be land to be
leasedleased to individual to individual farmers.farmers.
This system This system increased increased agricultural outputagricultural output..
The government also The government also allowed some private allowed some private businesses to produce businesses to produce goods and offer goods and offer services. services.
Foreign InvestmentForeign Investment
Deng also Deng also welcomed foreign welcomed foreign technology and technology and capitalcapital..
The government The government set up special set up special enterprise zones enterprise zones where foreigners where foreigners could own and could own and operate operate businesses.businesses.
Results of Economic Results of Economic ReformsReforms
Deng’s policiesDeng’s policies had both had both positivepositive and and negativenegative resultsresults. .
The The economy greweconomy grew, and , and some Chinesesome Chinese enjoyed a enjoyed a better standard of livingbetter standard of living..
Foreign relationsForeign relations and and trade improvedtrade improved.. CrimeCrime and and corruption grewcorruption grew, however, and , however, and
the gap between rich and poor widened.the gap between rich and poor widened.
Tiananmen SquareTiananmen Square
The government was The government was willing to grant willing to grant economic reforms economic reforms but not political but not political ones.ones.
In May 1989, In May 1989, demonstratorsdemonstrators in in Beijing Beijing occupied occupied Tiananmen SquareTiananmen Square, , demanding demanding more more rights and freedomsrights and freedoms..
When they refused to When they refused to disperse as ordered, disperse as ordered, the the government sent government sent in troops and tanksin troops and tanks..
Thousands of Chinese were Thousands of Chinese were killedkilled or or woundedwounded.. The incident showed how important it was for The 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 force During the 1990s efforts were made to force
China to China to end human rights violationsend human rights violations.. However, to date, these efforts have had However, to date, these efforts have had
limited effects.limited effects.
Return of Return of
Hong KongHong Kong
In 1842, In 1842, BritainBritain had had gainedgained the the island of island of Hong KongHong Kong, off the , off the northern coast of China.northern coast of China.
In the 1980s, Britain In the 1980s, Britain and China decided that and China decided that Hong Kong would return Hong Kong would return to Chinese ruleto Chinese rule in 1997. in 1997.
China agreed not to China agreed not to change Hong Kong’s change Hong Kong’s social or economic social or economic system for 50 years and system for 50 years and to allow the island a to allow the island a degree of degree of self-ruleself-rule..
The island was The island was officially turned overofficially turned over to to China on July 1, 1997.China on July 1, 1997.
The Role of Women:The Role of Women:Communist China Compared To Communist China Compared To
Dynastic ChinaDynastic China
Traditionally, in Traditionally, in Dynastic ChinaDynastic China, , women were treated women were treated as inferior to menas inferior to men..
The only role for a The only role for a woman was that of a woman was that of a wifewife..
In In Communist ChinaCommunist China, , however, however, women women gained some rightsgained some rights..
Under the Under the new new Chinese constitutionChinese constitution, , women won women won equalityequality under the law. under the law.
They now were expected to They now were expected to work alongside work alongside menmen on farms and in factories. on farms and in factories.
However, only a few However, only a few womenwomen had top jobs in had top jobs in government and government and commonlycommonly were were not paid not paid the same as men for doing the same workthe same as men for doing the same work..
SUMMARYSUMMARY The The CommunistsCommunists, under , under Mao ZedongMao Zedong, rose , rose
to power in China after World War II. Their to power in China after World War II. Their appeal to peasants and to womenappeal to peasants and to women, their , their superior armysuperior army, and , and lack of support for the lack of support for the NationalistsNationalists led to victory for the led to victory for the Communists. The communist government Communists. The communist government severely severely restricted the rights and restricted the rights and freedoms of most Chinesefreedoms of most Chinese. Later leaders, . Later leaders, such as such as Deng XiaopingDeng Xiaoping, allowed , allowed free free market reformsmarket reforms but but little political little political freedomfreedom. . Violations of human rightsViolations of human rights in in China have often China have often made relationsmade relations with with ChinaChina and the and the United StatesUnited States difficult. difficult.
