China - Establishing communist rule

In October 1949, led his Communist forces to victory in the Chinese Civil War (GMD)

China was lacking an organised central government

No history or experience of democratic rule or organised, efficent government

Social attitudes remained rooted in Confucian traditions (women not considered equal)

Many peasents lived in poverty

80% of the population still lived in poor rural areas and survived by farming the land

The war had killed millions

Refugees clogged transport networks and filled streets

Nationalists stripped country of assests such as gold

China's economy was completely devasted

The biggest problme was hyperinflation

Many of the educated elite had left with the nationalists.

Few experienced officialsleft to run cities or with enough technological knowldge to rebuild the economy

Nationalists continue to be a threat, sent spies and saboteurs to attack the new regime

China's industry had been badly damaged when the communists came to power

Areas where local power stations had been destroyed or coal stocks were low lacked electricity

USSR controlled Manchuria, dismantled equipment, confiscated tools and sent them back to USSR

Factories needed to be reconstructed

Raw materials scarce

In 1949, factory output 44% below its 1937 level

Many skilled workers who had the knowldge to rebuiled industrial production fled to Taiwan with Nationalists

Communists did not have support amongst peseants that made up 80% of population as they promised to introduce land reform

Agricultural tools and live stock in short supply

Human waste still the most common fertiliser which spread disease

Many peasents forcibly conscrpted into national forces

Farms unattended so crops died

Food supplies dangerously low levels

China was in chaos

Previous Nationalist government had been corrupt hording supplies or selling the peoples food for their own personal profit

Transport networks badly damaged

Blowing up railway tracks and bridges had been a key tactic of CP during Civil War but now created a mssive problem for the new government

Telephone lines had been damaged

Rivers and harbours clogged up with ships sunk during years of conflict

CCp grew to 5.8 million by the end of 1950

Set economic targets and controlled education

Held key roles in government

Party cadres helped enforce party policies

Controlled schools, leagl systme and monitored PLA

Controlled permits needed for travel, marrige, access to housing and food

All-China Federation of Democratic Youth helped indoctrinate the young

All-Chine Fediration of Women moblised women in support of the regime's campagins on issues such as birth control and divorce rights

In Sept 1949, Chinese party oragnised Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) to meet in Bejing

Appointed new ministers to from the new government

CPPCC created the Common Programme that was a temporary constitution

Emphasised leading role of CCP and gave poweres to PLA and ploice to crush oppents of Communism

CPPCC acted as the legislature

CPPCC did what it was told by Politburo

Politburo had 14 members, but desicions made by five-man standing committee

Mao chaiman or five-man standing committee

Needed bureaucrats to help establish the new regime and impose the Party's control over China

Wanted to introduce a centrally planned economy

Number of state officials increased from 720,000 in 1949 to 7.9 million 10 years later

PLA played vital role in helping the CCP establish control

PLA used to round up badits and gangs that had terroised Chinese people, and so increased public support

PLA played key role in spreading Communist influence

Helped bulid Communist support through economic assistance

Soldiers built bridges, roads, rail links and canals

PLA fought against UN

Seen as model soldiers and publicised values of sacrafice, discipline and commitement to Mao

As many as 800,00 new recruits every year indoctrinated by propaganda

Became Head of State in 1949

Held massive influence and personal prestige

His ideas (Mao Zedong Thought) became the guiding principles of the new government

CCP called new system of government "Democratic Centralism" (meant to be more democratic)

Local level villages would elect representatives

Representatives tarvelled to regional congress to reoresent their views

Regional Congress elected representatives and the process carried on up a heirarchy of organisations until the lowest councils were heard in "th centre" (Bejing)

In 1951 Mao called for a "big clean-up throughout the Party" and launched the Three Antis Movement

Campagin directed at removing corruption, waste and obstructionist bureaucracy in government

Removed opponents of Communists

Victims sbuject to public "struggle mettings" where they were forced to admit their guilt in front of karge crowds demanding retribution

1952 Five Antis against bribary, tax evasion, theft of state property, cheating on government contracts and staeling state economic infromation

Bourgeoise and business owners targeted

"Tiger Beaters" intimidated "Capitalist Tigers", tourturing them until they were dragged before a "struggle merting" and forced to confess their crimes

Many committed suicide to avoid being denounced  

Tibet followed a different beilf system (Buddhism) and had a different leader (Dalai Lama)

PLA attacked Buddhists traditions and Dalai Lama forced to flee

Xinjiang province had a large Muslim population with ethnic ties to USSR

PLA attacked and removed all resistance by March 1950

Guangdong, which was economically important port close to Hong Kong, was purged of Nationalsit forces, 28,000people were executed

Communists created labour camps called Laogai.

By the start of 1955 there was more than 1.3 million people undergoing forced labour

Many were political opponents or those from educated backgrounds which made them suspect

Conditions were terrible and death by disease was common

had to attend meetings where they were brainewashed by Communist poropagenda

Many committed suicide to escape

Worried the economy was not imporving fast enough

May have been  agenuine attempt to encourage intellectual to come forward with advice and answers to this problem

Feard the party was becoming less revolutionary

Neede to be "rectified" so ask intellectuals to point out the mistakes of party memebers and aks them to act in the interes to the people again

Some memebrs of the party were not radical enough and hoped the intellectuals would give him the opportunity to remove them

Sought a way of proving he was not a dictator by encouaging debate folloeing Khrushchevs "secret speech"

Mao could have been feeling confident and by asking intellectuals to comment on his poicies, expect endorsement and give him greater influence

Intellectuals began to criticise the Party

Denounced the Party's failures to provide democratic rights or freedom of expression

Attacked the priviledged situation the Communist leaders had given themselves

Intellectuals began to criticise the Party

Denounced the Party's failures to provide democratic rights or freedom of expression

Attacked the priviledged situation the Communist leaders had given themselves

Mao's speech "handling contradictions" was released in June

No mention of compramise

Decleared that "poisonous weeds" had grown amonghts "fragrant flowers"

The "right-wingers" had abused their freedom and he demanded a campagin of class struggle against them

Mao launched the "Anti-Rightist" campagin

Between 400,000 and 700,000 intellectuals were purged and sent to the countryside or the Laogai

Others committed suicide

June 25 1950 135,000 Communist North Korean troops marched on capitalist South Korea

UN forces led by America repelled the invasion

When the UN got close to China's boearders, Mao took military action

Chinese army, the PLA fought UN nations to a standstill.

Hostilities ended with a ceasfire in 1953

June 25 1950 135,000 Communist North Korean troops marched on capitalist South Korea

UN forces led by America repelled the invasion

When the UN got close to China's boearders, Mao took military action

Chinese army, the PLA fought UN nations to a standstill.

Hostilities ended with a ceasfire in 1953

June 25 1950 135,000 Communist North Korean troops marched on capitalist South Korea

UN forces led by America repelled the invasion

When the UN got close to China's boearders, Mao took military action

Chinese army, the PLA fought UN nations to a standstill.

Hostilities ended with a ceasfire in 1953

It helped enchance the power of the CCP

The war provided an excuse for the rgime to lock up its enimies

The war gave the regime an excuse to enforce conscription, raise taxes and force farmers to give up their crops to aid the war effort

The Communists launched the "Resist America, Aid Korea" campaign

Mobilised public support for the Chinese army by encouraging workers to donate wages for the war effort

Mao clearly saw an opportunity to build popular support for his regime

In 1950 China was still recovering from the Japenses, WW2 and the Civil War

New regime deperatly needed a period of stability

400,000 Chinese soldiers died out of 3 million

requisition of grain used to fed army and consequesntly led to famine in some parts of China

Buissness men forced to leave the country and had their land confiscated

Many Christian Missionaries arrested

The war cost $10 billion

China had previously been viewed as the "sick man of Asia"

Military success in war meant China was now feared and respected in the West