China Follows Its Own Path 19.5 Annalise Castner and Aj LaCilento

Mao’s Unexpected Legacy After Communists came to power in China, Mao Zedong set out to transform China. He believed in peasant equality, revolutionary spirit, and hard work to change China’s economy. With lack of modern technology, no incentives for production, and replacing family life with life in communes, it took away the peasant's motive to work- failed Cultural Revolution. China embarked on another moderate period under leadership of Zhou Enlai.

Mao’s Attempts to Change China Mao’s Programs Program’s Results First Five-Year Plan 1953-1957 Industry grew 15 percent a year Agricultural output slowly grew Great Leap Forward 1958-1962 China suffered economic disaster-industrial declines and food shortages Mao lost influence Cultural Revolution 1966-1976 Mao regained influence by backing radicals Purges and conflicts among leaders created economic, social, and political chaos. Moderates increasingly opposed radicals in Communist Party

China and the West Throughout the Cultural Revolution, China played no role in world affairs, and displayed hostility toward the U.S. China’s isolation worried Zhou so he startled the world and invited an American table tennis team to China- the first visit by an American group to China since 1949. The U.S. endorsed UN membership for the People’s Republic of China, and established formal, diplomatic relations.

Economic Reform After the death of Mao and Zhou, Deng Xiaoping emerged as the most powerful leader in China Although a lifelong communist, he boldly supported moderate economic policies and was willing to use capitalist ideas. Embraced a set of goals known as the Four Modernizations. These called for progress in agriculture, industry, defense, and science and technology. Launched ambitious program of economic reforms, called the “Second Revolution.”

The Four Modernizations Eliminated communes and leased land to individual farmers. Farmers paid rent by delivering a fixed quota of food to the government, and all remaining crops they could sell for profit. The government permitted small private businesses to operate- managers of large, state-owned industries had more freedom to set production goals. Deng welcomed foreign technology and investment. China began to modernize and prosper with influence from the West.

Primary Source Document One year ago, as China commenced the brutal suppression of peaceful demonstrators around Tiananmen Square, I deeply deplored the decision to use force. Two days later, on June 5, I again deplored the violence, emphasizing that the demonstrators in Tiananmen Square were advocating basic human rights, including freedom of expression, freedom of the press, and freedom of association. These are freedoms that are enshrined in both the U.S. Constitution and the Chinese Constitution, and are goals we support around the world. America will always stand with those who seek greater freedom and democracy— this is the strongly felt view of my administration, of our Congress, and most important, of the American people. China's citizens, through massive demonstrations in scores of cities, were expressing the same yearnings and aspirations we have seen in so many places in the world during the last several years. The peoples of the Philippines, the Republic of Korea, Taiwan, Mongolia, Panama, Nicaragua, Czechoslovakia, East Germany, Bulgaria, Poland, Hungary, Romania, the Soviet Union, South Africa, and Burma have expressed those desires with their lives, their voices, and their votes. The institutions that each chooses to adopt will vary, but the values of democracy and freedom underlie the movements in all of them.

Continued Transforming China—with its 4,000 year-old civilization, its own distinct and extraordinary traditions, an undeveloped economy, and an historically authoritarian political system—is a monumental task. China made great strides from 1978 to 1988 in the face of difficulties, and the dramatic growth in U.S.-China relations during those 10 years was testimony to that progress. I remain deeply concerned by the lack of respect for internationally recognized human rights in China today, and urge a rapid return to the most positive course set before Tiananmen occurred. As China's people and leaders seek to recover from the wounds of Tiananmen, they should find inspiration in the modern, universal urge for freedom and democracy. At the same time, they will find guidance in those benevolent traditions of China which emphasize righteousness and justice. The world watched with awe the restraint of the peaceful demonstrators in Tiananmen, the people of a great nation seeking freedom and economic modernization. The world will continue to watch in the years ahead with the hope that China will turn decisively away from repression and toward the path of reform. The American people and government—who value good relations with the Chinese people and government—stand ready to develop this relationship as China resumes that path.

Questions China was on the path to success, what made Deng revert to strict communism? Do you think America should have voiced more of an opinion to China about denying their citizens freedom of expression and freedom of speech? Did Chinese protestors take it too far? Do you think China would have been able to resolve the uprising at Tiananmen Square without conflict? Without the uprising at Tiananmen Square, do you think China would have developed into a democracy?

Tiananmen Square Economic reforms caused unexpected issues such as a large gap in rich and poor. It also led to wide speared allegations corruption and abuses of power by communist party officials such as accepting bribes. The increase of western investment and tourism in china, which led many young Chinese to study aboard and learn about western democracy. Many hard line communists believed their communist values were at risk. Deng ignored these concerns and believed opening the economy to the west out weighed the risks.

Students Demand Democracy In 1989, over 100,000 students, inspired by protests in Eastern Europe, poured into Tiananmen Square in Beijing. The students protested for democracy and an end to communism. They started a hunger strike and demanded the communist government resign.

Deng Orders a Crackdown Unwilling to give into the demands of the protesters Deng martial law order all the protesters in the square to leave. He mobilized 250,000 into Beijing to breakup protests. Most of protesters left after these measures were put in place but about 3,000 remained to continued protests. Protests were finally broken up with force when thousands of Soldiers and tanks moved into the Square. Hundreds were killed. The government arrested over 10,000 people and claimed the massacre was fabricated, but the truth had already gotten into the media.

China in the 1990’s After suppressing the protests around China, Deng became the unquestioned leader of china. He continued his economic reforms and helped China create the booming economy it has today and removing the sate controlled economy. In 1997, Deng died and was succeeded by the communist party general secretary Jiang Zemin.

China after Deng Many questions arose about what kind of leader of Jiang would be. He was the former mayor of Shanghai, he was considered highly educated, skilled and practical. Jiang had no military experience and few allied with in the army. He also had opposition from hard liners who wished to eliminate Deng’s economic reforms. Throughout the 1990’s the West had pressured China to protect human rights. China was hostile to this pressure. Tensions rose as the pro-democary movements grew larger and organizations such as the UN demanded China give more rights to its citizens.

Transfer of Hong Kong Hong Kong was a thriving business center in south east china and part of the British Empire. In 1997, the British gave Hong Kong back to China end their 155 year rule of the city. China promised to respect the cities economic system and political freedoms. China demonstrates that democracy is a slow and fitful process and economic reform does not always lead to political reform. People continue to have a desire for more freedom and as educational opportunities improve the possibility for democracy improves.

Quiz Why did Mao start the Cultural Revolution? What was the result of the cultural revolution and Mao’s economic reforms? Who was the first US president to visit Communist China? Which communist leader introduced the capitalist economic reforms? How did economic reforms introduce new political ideas? What were the students protesting in Tiananmen Square? Which nation gave Hong Kong to China? What rights did China promise Hong Kong could keep?