The Chinese Communist Revolution Review Book Unit 3 Section 3

Overview People’s Republic of China was established in 1949 Communism rose in the 1930s and 1940s- appealed to peasants and achieved military superiority Communist dictator: Mao Zedong Great Leap Forward and Cultural Revolution- both had negative economic results and restricted people’s rights and freedoms

Two China’s People’s Republic of China- Communist State Had natural resources Taiwan (Republic of China)- noncommunist government

Communist Rise to Power Jiang Jieshi took over the Guomindang (Nationalist Party) Not communist Began to strike against the Communist Party Mao Zedong- Communist leader in the 1930s Long March- traveled 6,000 miles Mao set up a communist state in northern China Battle between Communists, Guomindang, and Japanese invaders battled for control of China Mao’s communists were victorious in 1949 Why were the communists successful in removing Jiang Jieshi? Why were they successful in creating a communist state in China?

Reasons for Communist Success Mao won the support of the large peasant population of China Promised to give land to peasants Mao won the support of women Rejected the inequalities of traditional Confucian society Used guerrilla warfare People opposed the Nationalist government Some thought Nationalists had allowed foreigners to dominate China

Communism Under Mao Zedong Communists set up the People’s Republic of China (PRC) in 1949 Wanted to transform China from an agricultural society to a modern industrial nation Literacy increased, old landlord and business classes were eliminated, and rural Chinese were provided with health care Mao set up a one-party dictatorship that denied people basic rights and freedoms

Changing Role of Women Women were treated as inferior to men Women won equality under the law Expected to work alongside men on farms and factories Only a few women had top jobs in government Women were not always paid the same wages as men

The Great Leap Forward 1958- Mao launched the Great Leap Forward Wanted to increase agricultural and industrial output Created communes- groups of people who live and work together and hold property in common Had production quotas The Great Leap Forward failed Turned out poorly made goods; agricultural output declined

The Cultural Revolution 1966- Mao launched the Cultural Revolution Renewed people’s loyalty to communism and establish a more equitable society Mao feared that revolutionary peasants and workers were being replaced by intellectuals in running the country Shut down universities throughout China and urged Chinese students to experience the revolution for themselves Students formed group fighters called Red Guards- attacked professors, government officials, and factory managers (many will be exiled or executed)

US Recognition US refused to recognize the People’s Republic of China Korean War- Communist China and US took opposing sides 1970s- China won admission to the UN 1979- US officially recognized the People’s Republic of China

Communism Under Deng Xiaoping 1976- Mao Zedong died Deng Xiaoping took control Deng promoted foreign trade and more contact with Western nations Introduced the Four Modernizations: Farming, Industry, Science and Technology, and Defense Deng got rid of unpopular communes Allowed land to be leased to individual farmers Farmers had to give some food to the government Increased agricultural output Deng welcomed foreign technology and capital Economy grew, standard of living increased, foreign relations and trade grew Gap between rich and poor grew

Tiananmen Square Government was willing to grant economic reforms but not political ones May 1989- Demonstrations in Beijing occupied Tiananmen Square. Demanded more rights and freedoms: Demonstrators refused to disperse- government responded by sending in troops and tanks Showed that order was more important than political freedom 1990s- efforts were made to force China to end human rights violations

Hong Kong 1842- Great Britain gained the island of Hong Kong Britain modernized it and made it wealthy Returned it to the Chinese in 1997

Discussion Question What are three similarities between Chinese Communism and Russian Communism?