History & Development of Chinese Political Culture

1. History & Development of Chinese Political Culture

2. Impact of Geography • 3rd largest nation in the world (land surface) • Supports the world’s largest population (1.3 billion)

3. Impact of Geography • Demographics 1.) Rugged terrain in the west, created population centers in the more favorable lands of the east 2.) Geographic/climatic differences splits north and south

4. Impact of Geography Illustration - Location of China’s Dynasties

5. Impact of Geography 3.) China’s Isolation from the World • Mountain ranges, deserts, and oceans create an ‘island effect’ of China from the rest of the world

6. Important Time Periods of China 1)Dynastic China • For over 3,600 years China was ruled by authoritarian emperors; people as subjects

7. Important Time Periods of China 1)Dynastic China • For over 3,600 years China was ruled by authoritarian emperors; people as subjects • Emperors’ legitimacy was established through the Mandate of Heaven (Right to Rule; God’s favor) • Government/Political change occurred according to the Dynastic Cycle (handout)

8. Important Time Periods of China 1)Dynastic China • Mandate of Heaven & the Dynastic Cycle

9. Important Time Periods of China 1)Dynastic China • The philosophy of Confucianism greatly shaped Chinese politics • Confucian Principles • Strong family loyalty • Ancestor worship • Respect of Elders by the Young • Order & Harmony • Emphasis on knowledge & acceptance • Democratic Centralism? Confucius Chinese thinker and social philosopher during the 6th century B.C.E.

10. Important Time Periods of China 2) Zhongguo – “The Middle Kingdom” • (Geographically China developed relatively isolated) • Middle Kingdom (central country) – the belief that China was the center of civilization • Resisted Imperialism movement • Foreigners were seen as barbarians/devils and had little to offer ‘superior’ China • Developed Strong Chinese Nationalistic Pride • Role in Foreign Exploration – Little/No Chinese Involvement

12. Important Time Periods of China 3) Republic of China • The Qing Dynasty was devastated by foreign influence, internal rebellions and famine. • Republic of China(1912-1949) • Chinese reformers ended the dynastic rule of China • 2 Different Directions (Chinese Civil War) • Chiang Kai-shek tried to transform China into a modern, democratic state • Mao Zedong tried to instill Communism in China • “The Long March” • After Japanese rule ended after WWII, Mao and the Communists eventually prevailed

13. Important Time Periods of China 4) People’s Republic of China (1949-1996) • The Communist PRC was led by Mao Zedong • How did Mao’s view of Communism differ from Marx’s and Lenin’s/Soviets’? • Mao’s Communist China was much more egalitarian than Soviet Russia and based on the strength of the peasant farmer/worker

14. Important Time Periods of China 4) People’s Republic of China (1949-1996) • 3 Phases • The Soviet Model (1949-1957) • U.S.S.R. supported Chinese Communism • Encouraged land reform (re-distribution) and 5-year plans of industrialization and collectivization • The Great Leap Forward (1958-1966) • Mao wanted Chinese independence from U.S.S.R. and wanted to create an egalitarian society • De-centralized power, ‘people’ in charge of government, emphasized agricultural development • Mao’s Great Leap Forward was ultimately unsuccessful

15. Important Time Periods of China 4) People’s Republic of China (1949-1996) • 3 Phases 3. The Cultural Revolution (1966-1976) • An aggressive reform plan whose main goal was to remove all vestiges of old China • Included radical political, social, and economic change based on Mao’s Core Philosophies (handout)

16. Mao Zedong’s Core Philosophies 1.) Ethic of Struggle • Encouraged the people to actively pursue the values of socialism, something that would require struggle and devotion 2.) Mass Line • A line of communication between party leaders, members, and peasants. Teaching and listening was every level’s responsibility 3.) Collectivism • Valuing the good of the community above that of the individual 4.) Egalitarianism • Equality; opposite of traditional organization of Chinese/Confucian societies 5.) Self-Reliance • Don’t rely on government/elites, people should rely on their own talents to contribute

17. Important Time Periods of China 4) People’s Republic of China (1949-1996) • 3 Phases 3. The Cultural Revolution (1966-1976) • An aggressive reform plan that included radical political, social, and economic change based on Mao’s Core Philosophies (handout) • Allowed for some market-oriented polices • Tried to remove all vestiges of old China, its hierarchical bureaucracy, and inequality • Ex.) Scholars worked in the fields, universities & libraries were destroyed; everyone received basic education (read & write) nothing more.

18. Important Time Periods of China 5) Deng Xiaoping’s Modernizations (1978-1997) • Turned around the Chinese economy through socialist planning and capitalist free market “It doesn’t matter whether a cat is white or black, as long as it catches mice” • Four Modernizations – focused on industry, agriculture, science, and the military • Open Door Trade Policy • Reforms in Education (reversal of Cultural Revolution) • Institutionalization of the Revolution • Restoring legal system and bureaucracy of ‘old China’; decentralizing government, infusion capitalism