How did Mao change China between 1949 53

How did Mao change China between 1949 -53? L/O – To examine the political, economic and social changes to China in the post-war reconstruction period 中国人民从此站起来了! “Now I have power, what problems does China face? ”

China’s Problems in 1949 Political Economic The CCP had to prove that they were capable of providing a strong and effective government. Opposition to the government had to be removed or brought under control. It was very poor. Industrial production was 50% down on the best pre-war figure and food production was down by 25%. Manchuria, China’s most industrialised region, had been occupied by the Japanese. There was rapid inflation. Social International Most of the people were peasants who could not read or write. The Chinese people did not want change. They mistrusted all modern ideas in farming, industry, education, medicine and women’s rights. Most of the world refused to recognise the CCP. The USA continued to recognise the Kuomintang in Taiwan. Only the Soviet Union would help the new China.

Intentions of the CCP • On 29 th September 1949, Mao held the ‘Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference’ (CPPCC) with 14 other parties to decide upon the aims and intentions of his government. • It published ‘The Common Programme’ which set out Mao’s aims for China. It stated that China’s government would be a ‘People’s Democratic Dictatorship’. • The Communist government would listen to the people but would rule as a oneparty dictatorship headed by Mao.

Political Changes – The Government • The government of China was immediately reorganised. China’s 18 provinces were grouped into 6 regions. • In each region there would be ‘People’s Congresses’ at different levels to run things: towns, districts, cities, counties and province level. • From these local congresses, a National People’s Congress (NPC) was elected. In theory, they were to vote on laws. It was controlled by the President – Mao Zedong – who also controlled the army.

Political Changes – The Government • China also appointed a Premier (Prime Minister) – Zhou Enlai who was also appointed as foreign minister. • The Premier was in charge of the government bureaucracy which effectively ran the country with its many different departments and ministries. • In theory, the Premier would propose laws which should have been voted on by the National Congress. In reality, its was the Standing Committee of the CCP and its Chairman, Mao Zedong, who made all the decisions.

Political Changes – The Party • The Party itself would be ruled by the principle of ‘Democratic Centralism’. The CCP promised to listen, but once a decision had been made, it had to be obeyed. • Local Party Congresses had to listen to the National Party Congress. From them, a Central Committee was elected to make big decisions once a year. • The Central Committee then elected a ‘Politburo’ of 13 to make final decisions. Within the Politburo was a ‘Standing Committee’ – the most powerful group of 6 -8 Communists which included the Chairman of the Party – Mao.

Military Changes – The PLA • The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) which had won the war with its 5 million soldiers, played a key role in the government. • The six new regions of China were co-managed by PLA committees. So in each region, there was a Party Congress, a People’s Congress, and a PLA committee. The PLA only obeyed the head of the Military Affairs Commission (MAC) – Mao Zedong! • The PLA was used initially to help rebuild transport routes and infrastructure. In some provinces, they were even used as extra manpower in factories and farming.

Economic Changes – Land Reform • The CCP had promised land reform for many years. On 30 th June 1950, the Agrarian Reform Law was announced. • It sent CCP members into the countryside to redistribute land. It taught peasants to identify the social class of all peasants from ‘rich’ to ‘middle’ to ‘poor’. • Poor peasants were then encouraged to hold ‘People’s Courts’ where in ‘speak bitterness sessions’, rich peasants were denounced and their land confiscated.

Economic Changes – Land Reform • Between 1950 and 1952, over 47 million hectares of land was redistributed and given to 300 million peasants. • Whilst many peasants were pleased, for rich landlords it often meant death. Speak bitterness or ‘struggle sessions’ often ended in violence and 2 -4 million were estimated to have been killed. • However land redistribution also caused problems – poor peasants didn’t have the expertise or tools to farm land efficiently. Mao wanted the executions to have maximum impact by involving peasants in the killing and having executions in public: “Peasants who killed with their bare hands the landlords who oppressed them were wedded to the new revolutionary order in a way that passive spectators could never be. ” From P. Short, Mao: A Life, 1999

Economic Changes – Land Reform • To improve efficiency in farming, the CCP introduced the idea of Mutual Aid Teams. • Peasants worked on each other’s land, fertilising, killing pests or harvesting so that each family’s plot would become more productive. • Government supplied extra fertiliser & tools to reward hardworking families but it did not raise productivity enough. Despite this, it forced farmers to sell 15 -20% of their crops to the government to avoid food shortages. “In 1951 we set up a Mutual Aid Team. The work went well, but there were lots of quarrels about whose land should be worked on first. It was difficult to solve all these problems. Some said ‘Why should his field be taken first? I’ve got a bigger crop. ’ Whatever we did this went on. So we then began to talk about forming a peasant’s co -operative. ”

Economic Changes – The Economy • To improve the economy which was facing inflation of 1000%, the CCP immediately began to nationalise major banks, railways and over 1/3 of heavy industry. By 1953 all major businesses had been nationalised. • The profit from these was then used by the government to increase its revenue. • In 1951 a People’s Bank was opened to replace all private banks. Only this state controlled bank could control the money supply, therefore inflation was reduced to only 15% by the end of the year.

Social Changes – Social Control • The CCP immediately divided the population into four categories: the peasants, industrial workers, petty bourgeoisie, and national bourgeoisie. • Those labelled counter-revolutionaries, feudal landlords, bureaucratic capitalists and reactionary elements had their rights removed and had to undergo ‘reeducation’. • These people were often GMD members or collaborators with the Japanese. Over million were executed between 1949 -53.

Social Changes – Social Control • To maintain the loyalty and attention of the people, Mao launched a series of propaganda ‘mass campaigns’ between 1950 -53. The 1950 ‘Resist America, Aid Korea’ campaign kicked out all foreign missionaries and businessmen. • The 1951 ‘Three Antis Campaign’ encouraged people to fight corruption, waste and ‘red tape’. The 1952 ‘Five Antis Campaign’ aimed to remove bribery, tax evasion, fraud, theft and spying. Thousands committed suicide after the humiliation of struggle sessions. • Society groups were created to force everyone to belong to some form of communist organisation – Women’s League for Democracy and the Young Pioneers were two such groups.

Social Changes – Social Control • If workers, peasants and students had any free time left, they were also forced to join ‘thought reform’ sessions. • The ‘Movement for the Study of Mao Zedong Thought’ involved the study of his writings and public self-criticism. • To ensure everyone was controlled, CCP block wardens existed in every building and workers were organised into ‘Danwei’ or work units. They looked out for ‘suspicious’ behaviour.

Social Changes – Women • The CCP also continued with its policy of gender equality. • In April 1950 a ‘Marriage Law’ was announced which ended arranged marriages, the killing of unwanted girls, bigamy and gave women the right to divorce. • The minimum age for marriage was fixed at 20 for men and 18 for girls. It also introduced maternity benefits for women for two months after birth.

International Changes – Foreign Policy • From Dec 1949 to Feb 1950, Mao travelled to the USSR. The Sino-Soviet Treaty of Friendship and Alliance gave China a $300 million loan, 30 -year military alliance and thousands of Soviet technical experts. • As part of the Communist world, Mao even took part in the Korean War against the USA and UN in November 1950. Over 900, 000 Chinese were killed by 1953. In 1950 -51, the PLA also established control over Tibet. • By 1953, China had kicked out all the Western powers and had become a key Communist power in the world.