The Evolution of China: From Mao to Modern Times

1. The New AsiaSSWH18:d;19:e; 20:d.

2. Time and Geography

4. POLITICAL

5. Mao’s China • Chairman Mao • Creator of Chinese communism • Believed correct path to socialism was through revolutionary peasantry • Extremely distrustful of intellectuals Mao Zedong

6. Mao’s China • Rural policies • At first, regime instituted basic policies to keep control • Expropriated land, redistributed and collectivized it • Peasants did not resist, regarded government as legitimate authority • Commune became basis of rural production, government, with disastrous results; eventually abolished • Unclear responsibilities • Food production barely matched growing population; mass famine was inevitable Statue of young Mao in Changsha, the capital of Hunan

7. Law and Government

8. ECONOMIC

9. China • Industrialization • Emphasized heavy industry at expense of consumer goods • Great Leap Forward • Attempt at overnight mass industrialization • Enormously costly failure • Accelerated growing gap between Chinese, Russia Backyard furnaces in China during the Great Leap Forward era.

10. POLITICAL

11. China • Sino-Soviet conflict • Russians criticized Mao for trying to be another “Great Father” like Stalin • Mao told Russians they had strayed from revolutionary path and that he intended to be spokesman for masses • Rift was very visible by time of Cuban Missile Crisis The Soviet T-62 tank captured by the Chinese during the 1969 clash, now on display at the Military Museum of the Chinese People's Revolution

12. Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution • Mao wanted to create new relationship between party, people, revolutionary power • Attack aimed primarily at intellectuals • Wanted to introduce permanent, self-perpetuating revolution • Used Red Guards to rid China of reverence for tradition, make war on older generations The Chinese People's Liberation Army is the great school of Mao Zedong Thought, 1969. A poster from the Cultural Revolution, featuring an image of Chairman Mao, and published by the government of the People's Republic of China

13. Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution • 3-4 years of barely controlled anarchy, severe damage to economy • Mao’s “Little Red Book” became required reading • Called off Red Guards, used army to handle everyday affairs • Continued tensions with Russians – Amur River War • Cultural Revolution survived until Mao’s death • Was then condemned as mistake • Party officials began putting Mao’s contributions into historical perspective Red Guards on the cover of an elementary school textbook.

14. Recent China • Deng Xiaoping • Determined to return China to “normal” socialism • Prosperity gradually spread • Particularly interested in establishing better relations with foreign capitalists Deng Xiaoping

15. ECONOMIC

16. Recent China • Rise of China - an important economic power • 1984 to 2004, GDPincreased avg.9.7%/year • Fastest growing economy - world’s sixth highest • Problems: disparities in income - urban and rural • Civil servants and professionals (teachers and physicians) grossly underpaid than private sector • Public corruption pervasive problem - resentment, wealth by whatever means

17. Recent China • China/US relations warmed • Increased interest in understanding US better • Progress in opening country to foreigners, democratizing Communist Party

18. POLITICAL

19. Recent China • Tiananmen Square Massacre • Spread of freedoms frightened party leaders • Students demonstrators erected a “Goddess of Democracy” statue in Beijing • China reasserted Party control, army fired and killed hundreds, perhaps thousands Chinese man blocking a line of tanks during demonstrations in Tiananmen Square

20. US/China Relations • Have remained ambivalent • Problem areas • US military alliances with Japan, South Korea • Taiwan is particularly sore spot • Both sides have realized importance of maintaining cooperative relations • US supports China’s membership in World Trade Organization • Common ground in War on Terror US President Barack Obama shaking hands with Chinese President Xi Jinping

21. ECONOMIC

22. China’s Relations with Pariahs • Spectacular Industrial expansion • Aggressive international search for raw materials • Courting international pariahs, Iran and Sudan for oil • China a barrier to UN’s ability to curb Iran’s nuclear ambitions or Sudan’s genocidal actions • China (and Russia) reluctant to impose economic sanctions • China allied with US, Japan, and Russia in exerting pressure on North Korea to halt its development of nuclear bombs

23. POLITICAL

24. Postwar Japan to 1952 • Defeat and occupation • Constructive shock, unleashed energy and innovative thinking • Economy rebounded quickly The bombing of Nagasaki

25. Postwar Japan to 1952 • Occupation • American-supervised under MacArthur • Native government allowed to function, but limited • Japanese accepted reform decrees in politics, social matters • Japanese accepted new basis for social, political organization • New constitution formed a government similar to British, with emperor as symbol only Gen. Douglass MacArthur

26. Postwar Japan to 1952 • Korean War • US went from conqueror to protector • Armed forces recognized as essential for protecting disarmed Japan Crew of an M-24 tank along the Nakdong River front, August 1950

27. Independent Japan • 1952, Japan became independent again • Signed alliance allowing US to maintain bases • Liberal party was major force in postwar politics, dominated by big business Picture of Hirohito and MacArthur

28. ECONOMIC

29. Independent Japan • Economic progress benefited from several developments • Spending on housing, pensions etc. instead of military • Korean War stimulated industry • Cheap oil • International credit institutions eager to lend money Cheap oil

30. Economic Progress • Internal progress • World’s highest savings rate, reinvested in industry • Disciplined, skilled, educated labor force • Labor pool also meant larger market • Labor worked with employers rather than as adversaries • Result of government support of business • Money available for research, development • Zaibatsu re-established, more powerful than before • Industry, government made major efforts to expand foreign trade • Result was highest growth rate in the world, 1970-75 Japanese-made TV sets during the economic boom

31. Japan 1980’s to Present • 1980s - slower rate of growth: • Competition in global markets by other Asian countries • Big loan defaults • Government-business corruption weakened capacities and self-confidence • 1990s, Japanese recession - not yet overcome; better in 2006 Japan is currently facing a recession See Notes for Video

32. Japan 1980’s to Present Japan/China Relationship: • 1890s through World War II, Japan was an occupier and aggressor • Now, China reluctant to share world power standing with old enemy • But, competition has been peaceful, even cooperative • Each country is the other’s second biggest trading partner, but disputes over oil rights in the East China Sea • China is a nuclear and aerospace power • Japan, perhaps ominously, is starting to pursue its own nuclear and space programs China vs. Japan

33. POLITICAL

34. India • Severe social, economic problems, but solved politically • Nehru • Believed western-style industrialization was necessary • Also wanted to use strong hand in dealing with Pakistan, kept India on semi-war footing over Kashmir • Moderate democratic socialism, mix of state ownerships and private enterprise • Relatively successful for some, but poverty was widespread • Biggest problem was overpopulation Jawaharlal Nehru

35. India • Indira Gandhi • First female prime minister in Asia • Dictatorial style led to conflicts, turned out of office, returned in 1980 See Notes for Video

36. RELIGIOUS

37. India • Increased ethnic, religious friction • Hindus and Muslims • Conflict with Pakistan nearly caused nuclear war • Sikhs demanding autonomy • Tamil, Sinhalese conflict • Democratic government has held together • Monolithic party • Army has not gotten involved in politics

38. ECONOMIC

39. India Today • Economic expansion on a stupendous scale • 1994-2004, GDPgrown atan average of 6.1% a year • Foresight in investments in technical and professional training for its best minds • West companies “outsourcing” skilled jobs to well-trained Indians who work for a fraction of US/European wages and benefits • Hurdles to Expansion • keeping up with the demand for highly trained graduates • electrical grid that is vulnerable to frequent shutdowns

40. POLITICAL

41. Pakistan and Bangladesh • West and East Pakistan created out of Muslim minority • Suffered severe handicaps • Underdeveloped countries • No infrastructure • Few leaders • East Pakistan became Bangladesh in 1971, one of poorest countries in world East and West Pakistan before 1971 See Notes for Video

42. Pakistan and Bangladesh • East Pakistan became Bangladesh in 1971, one of poorest countries in world • Pakistan’s problems • Afghani refugees • Tribalism in north, hotbed of Islamic extremism, origins of the Taliban Taliban fighters

43. SOCIAL/ ECONOMIC

44. Society and Economy

45. POLITICAL

46. Southeast Asia since World War II • Area of stark contrasts • Areas of violence, other areas of peace • Communist governments in French Indochina • Indonesian independence was peaceful • Unsuccessful minority rebellions in Burma, Thailand

47. Southeast Asia since World War II • Vietnam War began as nationalist rebellion against French • Ho Chi Minh’s guerrillas drove out French • Communist government established in north • US took over French role in south, installed puppet government, planned elections (never held) See Notes for Video

48. Vietnam War • Kennedy decided to prevent communist takeover • Johnson determined to conclude what was then a small-scale war • By 1968, there were half million US troops in Vietnam • US national debate over war, sharp decline of white liberal support John F. Kennedy Lyndon Johnson

49. Vietnam War • Nixon opted to withdraw forces • Peace signed in 1973, South Vietnamese took over their own defense • North and South united in 1975 Richard Nixon