History & Development of Chinese Political Culture

Impact of Geography• 3rd largest nation in the world (land surface)

• Supports the world’s largest population (1.3 billion)

Impact of Geography• Demographics

1.) Rugged terrain in the west, created population centers in the more favorable lands of the east

2.) Geographic/climatic differences splits north and south

Impact of GeographyIllustration - Location of China’s Dynasties

Impact of Geography3.) China’s Isolation from the World– Mountain ranges, deserts, and oceans create an

‘island effect’ of China from the rest of the world

Important Time Periods of China1)Dynastic China– For over 3,600 years China was ruled by authoritarian

emperors; people as subjects

Important Time Periods of China1)Dynastic China– For over 3,600 years China was ruled by authoritarian

emperors; people as subjects– Emperors’ legitimacy was established through the

Mandate of Heaven (Right to Rule; God’s favor)– Government/Political change occurred according to

the Dynastic Cycle (handout)

Important Time Periods of China1)Dynastic China– Mandate of Heaven & the Dynastic Cycle

Important Time Periods of China1)Dynastic China– The philosophy of Confucianism

greatly shaped Chinese politics– Confucian Principles• Strong family loyalty• Ancestor worship• Respect of Elders by the Young• Order & Harmony

– Emphasis on knowledge & acceptance

– Democratic Centralism?

Confucius Chinese thinker and social

philosopher during the 6th century B.C.E.

Important Time Periods of China2) Zhongguo – “The Middle Kingdom” – (Geographically China developed relatively isolated) – Middle Kingdom (central country) – the belief that

China was the center of civilization• Resisted Imperialism movement• Foreigners were seen as barbarians/devils and had little to

offer ‘superior’ China• Developed Strong Chinese Nationalistic Pride • Role in Foreign Exploration – Little/No Chinese Involvement

Important Time Periods of China3) Republic of China – The Qing Dynasty was devastated by foreign influence,

internal rebellions and famine.– Republic of China (1912-1949)• Chinese reformers ended the dynastic rule of China• 2 Different Directions (Chinese Civil War)

1. Chiang Kai-shek tried to transform China into a modern, democratic state

2. Mao Zedong tried to instill Communism in China• “The Long March”

• After Japanese rule ended after WWII, Mao and the Communists eventually prevailed

Important Time Periods of China4) People’s Republic of China (1949-1996) – The Communist PRC was led by Mao Zedong – How did Mao’s view of Communism differ from Marx’s

and Lenin’s/Soviets’? – Mao’s Communist China was much more egalitarian

than Soviet Russia and based on the strength of the peasant farmer/worker

Important Time Periods of China4) People’s Republic of China (1949-1996) – 3 Phases

1. The Soviet Model (1949-1957)– U.S.S.R. supported Chinese Communism– Encouraged land reform (re-distribution) and 5-year plans of

industrialization and collectivization

2. The Great Leap Forward (1958-1966)– Mao wanted Chinese independence from U.S.S.R. and wanted to

create an egalitarian society– De-centralized power, ‘people’ in charge of government,

emphasized agricultural development• Mao’s Great Leap Forward was ultimately unsuccessful

Important Time Periods of China4) People’s Republic of China (1949-1996) – 3 Phases

3. The Cultural Revolution (1966-1976)– An aggressive reform plan whose main goal was to remove all

vestiges of old China– Included radical political, social, and economic change based on

Mao’s Core Philosophies (handout)

Mao Zedong’s Core Philosophies 1.) Ethic of Struggle

o Encouraged the people to actively pursue the values of socialism, something that would require struggle and devotion

2.) Mass Lineo A line of communication between party leaders, members, and peasants.

Teaching and listening was every level’s responsibility

3.) Collectivismo Valuing the good of the community above that of the individual

4.) Egalitarianismo Equality; opposite of traditional organization of Chinese/Confucian societies

5.) Self-Relianceo Don’t rely on government/elites, people should rely on their own talents to

contribute

Important Time Periods of China4) People’s Republic of China (1949-1996) – 3 Phases

3. The Cultural Revolution (1966-1976)– An aggressive reform plan that included radical political, social,

and economic change based on Mao’s Core Philosophies (handout)

» Allowed for some market-oriented polices » Tried to remove all vestiges of old China, its hierarchical

bureaucracy, and inequality• Ex.) Scholars worked in the fields, universities & libraries

were destroyed; everyone received basic education (read & write) nothing more.

Important Time Periods of China5) Deng Xiaoping’s Modernizations (1978-1997) – Turned around the Chinese economy through socialist

planning and capitalist free market“It doesn’t matter whether a cat is white or black,

as long as it catches mice”– Four Modernizations – focused on industry,

agriculture, science, and the military1. Open Door Trade Policy2. Reforms in Education (reversal of Cultural Revolution)

3. Institutionalization of the Revolution • Restoring legal system and bureaucracy of ‘old China’;

decentralizing government, infusion capitalism