Communist Revolution

China’s Civil War In 1911, after thousands of years of being ruled by emperors, the last of China’s royal dynasty’s was toppled In 1911, after thousands of years of being ruled by emperors, the last of China’s royal dynasty’s was toppled Over the next years, China was in chaos as different groups struggled to control the country Over the next years, China was in chaos as different groups struggled to control the country By the 1930s, China entered a period of civil war between 2 main political parties to determine who would control the country By the 1930s, China entered a period of civil war between 2 main political parties to determine who would control the country

2 Political Parties Fight for Control Nationalist Party (KMT) led by Chiang Kai-shek led by Chiang Kai-shek wanted democratic gov’t wanted democratic gov’t Communist Party (CCP) led by Mao Zedong led by Mao Zedong wanted communist gov’t wanted communist gov’t

Communists Win After years of civil war, the Communist Party wins the fight for control After years of civil war, the Communist Party wins the fight for control In 1949, Mao Zedong officially declared China a Communist nation called the People’s Republic of China In 1949, Mao Zedong officially declared China a Communist nation called the People’s Republic of China Chiang Kai-shek and his nationalist party were forced to flee to the tiny island of Taiwan Chiang Kai-shek and his nationalist party were forced to flee to the tiny island of Taiwan

Chairman Mao Mao Zedong = head of Chinese Communist Party (CCP) & gov’t Mao Zedong = head of Chinese Communist Party (CCP) & gov’t Communist party set ALL gov’t policies, giving Chairman Mao nearly absolute power Communist party set ALL gov’t policies, giving Chairman Mao nearly absolute power

Communism’s Goal The goal of communism is to make everyone as equal as possible, to have a “classless” society The goal of communism is to make everyone as equal as possible, to have a “classless” society There is no private ownership of property (ex. land, businesses) There is no private ownership of property (ex. land, businesses) Everything is run by the gov’t, like factories, schools, hospitals Everything is run by the gov’t, like factories, schools, hospitals The gov’t provides jobs for everyone and pays everyone the same amount of money, no matter what their job or how well they do it The gov’t provides jobs for everyone and pays everyone the same amount of money, no matter what their job or how well they do it

The Chinese Communist Party... took land from the wealthy and gave it to the poor took land from the wealthy and gave it to the poor took control over China’s factories and businesses, determining what and how much should be made took control over China’s factories and businesses, determining what and how much should be made forced peasant farmers to combine all their land together into “collective farms” and work together to grow food forced peasant farmers to combine all their land together into “collective farms” and work together to grow food

Great Leap Forward (1958) What was it? A program meant to speed up China’s economic development A program meant to speed up China’s economic development Goals were set for agriculture (farming) and industry (factories) production Goals were set for agriculture (farming) and industry (factories) production All small farms were combined into larger farms called “communes” where all ownership and decisions were in the hands of the gov’t All small farms were combined into larger farms called “communes” where all ownership and decisions were in the hands of the gov’t

Agriculture Reform Each commune had many families. All tools were owned by all of the people they shared everything. People now worked for the commune and not for themselves. The life of an individual was controlled by the commune. Schools and nurseries were provided by the communes so that all adults could work, and health care was provided for the elderly. Everybody involved in communes was urged not only to meet set quotas but to beat them. If the communes lacked machinery, the workers used their bare hands. The government said the more that they produced the better they would be!

Mao had toured China and concluded that the Chinese people were capable of anything

Propaganda poster of the steel production objective. The text reads: "Take steel as the key link, leap forward in all fields",

Industry Reform Steel was a MAJOR metal used around the world during this time period. The Great Leap Forward encouraged communes to set up "back-yard" steel plants. Basically Mao wanted everyone to produce steel right in their back yards. Burn anything you had, pots, pans, tools whatever! The more steel they melted; the more stuff they could build. Mao started the Great Leap Forward with the phrase “Anything is possible.” Steel was a MAJOR metal used around the world during this time period. The Great Leap Forward encouraged communes to set up "back-yard" steel plants. Basically Mao wanted everyone to produce steel right in their back yards. Burn anything you had, pots, pans, tools whatever! The more steel they melted; the more stuff they could build. Mao started the Great Leap Forward with the phrase “Anything is possible.”

“Backyard Furnaces” The Great Leap Forward encouraged communes to set up "back-yard" production plants. The most famous were 600,000backyard furnaces which produced steel for the communes.

The consequences of the Great Leap Forward However, in 1959, things started to go wrong. Political decisions become more important than commonsense. -Communes were required to do produce quotas which they were not capable of achieving. -Commune leaders could be sent to prison as an “enemy” if he complained to the government about these unfair quotas. - farm equipment made in the factories fell to pieces when used because it was made so badly. - thousands of workers were injured after working long hours and falling asleep at their jobs.

-Steel produced by the backyard furnaces was too weak and buildings were falling down. -so many people were working on steel that they were not farming -food was not being grown. –many people died of famine due to drought and floods -20 million people starved to death -The backyard furnaces also used too much coal to melt steel and China’s railroad system suffered -Trains could not run because they did not have enough coal to function. -Trade definitely slowed down because the railroad system couldn’t run. By 1959, it was obvious that the Great Leap Forward had been a failure and even Mao admitted this.Mao

Cultural Revolution (1966) A program to increase support for and remove opposition to the Communist party A program to increase support for and remove opposition to the Communist party All parts of life were suppose to be about communism – work, school, personal beliefs, art, etc. All parts of life were suppose to be about communism – work, school, personal beliefs, art, etc.

The Cultural Revolution The Cultural Revolution had a massive impact on China from 1965 to The Cultural Revolution is the name given to Mao’s attempt to force his beliefs onto the people of China. The Cultural Revolution had a massive impact on China from 1965 to The Cultural Revolution is the name given to Mao’s attempt to force his beliefs onto the people of China. The revolution began in September 1965 with a speech by Lin Piao who urged students in schools and colleges to return to the basic principles of the communist movement. Mao believed that anyone who was educated or had a good job was against communism because they were not equal to the common people. A high class group of people had been created when people were going to college and becoming scientists, doctors and well paid managers. Therefore, all schools and colleges were considered to be too academic and, therefore, too high class which goes against Communism. Chinese culture such as music, dance, and art was removed from schools. Several religious temples were destroyed. Mao believed China needed to modernize and “old” Chinese culture was not good for this. The revolution began in September 1965 with a speech by Lin Piao who urged students in schools and colleges to return to the basic principles of the communist movement. Mao believed that anyone who was educated or had a good job was against communism because they were not equal to the common people. A high class group of people had been created when people were going to college and becoming scientists, doctors and well paid managers. Therefore, all schools and colleges were considered to be too academic and, therefore, too high class which goes against Communism. Chinese culture such as music, dance, and art was removed from schools. Several religious temples were destroyed. Mao believed China needed to modernize and “old” Chinese culture was not good for this. Red Guards (groups of youths who joined themselves together) encouraged all the youth in China to criticize those who Mao deemed untrustworthy. This was anyone who disagreed with Mao. No-one was safe from criticism: writers, economists and anyone who went against his beliefs. Anyone who seemed to be successful was considered an enemy to the Communist party. These people were usually beaten, arrested or killed. Red Guards (groups of youths who joined themselves together) encouraged all the youth in China to criticize those who Mao deemed untrustworthy. This was anyone who disagreed with Mao. No-one was safe from criticism: writers, economists and anyone who went against his beliefs. Anyone who seemed to be successful was considered an enemy to the Communist party. These people were usually beaten, arrested or killed.

Chinese poster saying: "We'll destroy old world and build new." A worker crushes the cross, Buddha, and classical Chinese texts with his hammer

Chinese poster showing Jiang Qing, saying:"Let new communist culture conquer every stage."

Cultural Revolution cont. Mao set out to rid the Chinese Communist Party of anyone who did not fully support him Mao set out to rid the Chinese Communist Party of anyone who did not fully support him Red Guards (groups of students) patrolled for people Mao concerned “uncommunist” Red Guards (groups of students) patrolled for people Mao concerned “uncommunist”

The Cultural Revolution in Action The Red Army supported Mao, so he used them to “clean out” the Chinese Communist Party of anyone who did not fully support him. Mao’s main selling point was a desire to create a China which had peasants, workers and educated people working together – no- one was better than anyone else and all working for the good of China – a classless society. This meant China came first over family, religion, and entertainment. People were supposed to consider the good of China before anything else. The Red Army supported Mao, so he used them to “clean out” the Chinese Communist Party of anyone who did not fully support him. Mao’s main selling point was a desire to create a China which had peasants, workers and educated people working together – no- one was better than anyone else and all working for the good of China – a classless society. This meant China came first over family, religion, and entertainment. People were supposed to consider the good of China before anything else. Even though this idea sounded good to a lot of people, the Red Guards nearly pushed China into social chaos. Even though this idea sounded good to a lot of people, the Red Guards nearly pushed China into social chaos. Schools and colleges were closed and the economy started to suffer. Groups of Red Guards fought other Red Guards as each separate group believed that it knew best as to how China should be ruled. In some areas the activities of the Red Guard got out of hand. Thousands of people were murdered and tortured by the Red Army and its supporters. Schools and colleges were closed and the economy started to suffer. Groups of Red Guards fought other Red Guards as each separate group believed that it knew best as to how China should be ruled. In some areas the activities of the Red Guard got out of hand. Thousands of people were murdered and tortured by the Red Army and its supporters. The chaos finally stopped when members of the Communist party realized how much violence was going on and urged for the revolution to stop. These party members had been some of the top leaders of the Chinese Communist Party who supported the Cultural Revolution, but they quickly realized that the revolution had gotten out of hand and was totally out of control. Mao wanted these people out of the government, so when he kicked them out he saw no more need for the Cultural Revolution to continue. The chaos finally stopped when members of the Communist party realized how much violence was going on and urged for the revolution to stop. These party members had been some of the top leaders of the Chinese Communist Party who supported the Cultural Revolution, but they quickly realized that the revolution had gotten out of hand and was totally out of control. Mao wanted these people out of the government, so when he kicked them out he saw no more need for the Cultural Revolution to continue.

Cultural Revolution cont. Anyone who was thought to have developed a superior attitude was considered an enemy of the party and the people Anyone who was thought to have developed a superior attitude was considered an enemy of the party and the people Mao wanted to create a China in which peasants, workers, and educated people worked together – no-one was better than anyone else and all working for the good of China – a classless society Mao wanted to create a China in which peasants, workers, and educated people worked together – no-one was better than anyone else and all working for the good of China – a classless society

Tiananmen Sqaure student protests in 1989 in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square against the corruption & repression of China’s communist government

Goddess of Democracy modeled after America’s Statue of Liberty

an unarmed student stands up against communist soldiers