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The Other Socialist State: People’s Republic of China

The Other Socialist State: People’s Republic of China. The China of Mao Zidong and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). “ Never Forget National Humiliation” Wall, Old Summer Palace, Beijing, P.R.China. Context of the CCP Revolution.

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The Other Socialist State: People’s Republic of China

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  1. The Other Socialist State: People’s Republic of China The China of Mao Zidong and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP)

  2. “Never Forget National Humiliation” Wall, Old Summer Palace, Beijing, P.R.China

  3. Context of the CCP Revolution • Marxism: Revolutions to overthrow Capitalism will happen in advanced industrial countries • PROBLEM: Neither Russia nor China Industrialized; primarily agricultural countries • Solution: Vanguard party seize power, crush dissent and build modern industrial state • Political order will be authoritarian dictatorships

  4. Context of the CCP Revolution • 1920s-1937, 1945-1949: Civil War • Communist and Nationalist struggle for power: • Inside: both want to unite China • GMD: change from above • CCP: union of peasants, workers, soldiers -- revolution from below • Outside: End unequal treaties, foreign exploitation • Nationalize • Communists want to close China to Western capitalism

  5. Appeal of Marxism-Leninism • Explains West’s technological-industrial lead; better weapons • Lenin’s Theory of imperialism as highest stage of capitalism explains colonialism • Export contradictions of capitalism to Africa, Asia • China: Treaty Ports, foreign exploitation

  6. Communists win Civil War, establish PRC • Goals • Self-sufficiency • Development … but economic equality • Self-defense

  7. GREAT LEAPSBuilding Socialism in the PRC • People’s Republic of China • Liberation from Feudalism and Semicolonialism • Ends 5 millennia of aristocratic-landlord exploitation and a “Century of Humiliation”

  8. Like USSR, Visual Culture used to remold minds with images

  9. Within China: Build Socialism • In the countryside --- In the City

  10. Outside: Friendship with Oppressed Peoples & Socialist Countries

  11. Anti-Imperialism

  12. Women Hold Up Half the Sky

  13. Soviet Model of Development: Central planning of the economy INITIAL PHASE: 1950-1958 • State ownership of enterprises. • Workers were state employees. • Planned production targets and supply of inputs. • Managers were administrators of state property and enforcers of the output plans.

  14. Goal of model – rapid industrialization, self- sufficiency • Extract surplus from agriculture to finance industrial development – • Rationalize process through centralized planning – 5 year plans – production targets

  15. China’s Problems • Overwhelmingly rural, and backward (85%) -- tenancy, share-cropping common • Huge population: 400+ million 1950 • Peasants backbone of revolution; different than Russia where peasants seen as obstacle to progress • Land reform -- get agriculture moving

  16. More problems • Industrial sector less than half Russia in 1917 with 4 times the population • Industry located in former treaty ports, not linked to internal development (cheap labor, products for foreign consumption)

  17. China’s First 5-year plan 1953-57 • Emphasis on industry steel, machinery, railroads, electricity plants, metallurgy, chemicals • Embrace rational planning – experts, bureaucrats lead

  18. Results: rapid industrial development, but … • Growth of bureaucracy • New patterns of social inequality, privileged elites • Growing gulf between modernizing cities and backward countryside • Ideological decay, loss of revolutionary fervor

  19. Mao’s Intervention • Not building a Socialist utopia of equal prosperity for all Instead • uneven development • inequalities common in capitalism • Making new classes

  20. Mao’s Theory of Economic Development Past economic stagnation led to mental stagnation To Make Socialist Person -- Not sufficient to introduce new technologies or alter Mode of Production as had been done in USSR

  21. From “Poor and Blank” to Permanent Revolution • Present unburdened by Past • Change a matter of human will to overcome objective obstacles extreme volunteerism, optimism “Our revolutions are like battles; after each victory, we must put forward a new task,” Mao 1958

  22. Constant process of ideologically inspired mass activism Producing “Great Leaps” Forward and “Cultural Revolution” Permanent Revolution

  23. Ideology and Politics in Command • Central planning abandoned

  24. Economic Development • Maoist Vision: • De-centralized System • Close gap between urban-rural • Industrialize countryside • Xiafang: technicians, intellectuals, youth to the countryside • commune

  25. To create a Socialist Utopia: Dazhai Commune

  26. ORGANIZE POPULATION INTO PRODUCTION UNITS • TOTAL CARE -- HEALTH, • EDUCATION, WELFARE • INSPIRE WITH CONTUNOUS IDEOLOGICAL WORK

  27. Great Leap Forward • The Commune is Like a Mighty Dragon, Production is awe-inspiring

  28. GLF Fails • Ends in massive famine -- 3 lean years • Struggle “Experts” vs. “Reds” • Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution • Failure of Ideologically based Mass Campaigns

  29. Accomplishments of Maoist Era • Technology and Technical expertise transferred to Countryside • Infrastructure: education, electrification, roads, rural industry, health care • gap between urban-rural narrowed

  30. PROBLEMS: • POPULATION EXHAUSTED FROM POLTICAL CAMPAIGNS • INDUSTRIAL AND AGRICULTURAL STAGNATION • Population triples (1.3 billion), 85% still in agriculture

  31. Post-Mao Modernization • Socialism with Chinese Characteristics

  32. Strategies: Opening to Outside • Joint enterprises • Phase 1: 10year ownership, profits remain in China • Phase 2: removal of % of profits; permanent joint ownership • Phase 3: full ownership, greater % of profit • Technology transfer

  33. Foreign experts: colleges, universities, industries • Education abroad • Develop export based manufacturing, build on cheap labor • Constant: tight control of currency -- no international exchange

  34. Reform of Inside • De-collectivize agriculture, markets • De-regulation of economy • privatization of state assets • private enterprises • tourism

  35. Political Change • Devolution: decentralization of power, local elections • legal reform • lingering problems of political rights/loss of economic rights

  36. Successes • Fastest growing national economy in world • 8-10% annually since mid-1980s • Reconstruction of almost all major cities; huge infrastructure investment

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