Communist Communist RevolutionRevolution

China’s Civil WarChina’s Civil War In 1911, after thousands of years of In 1911, after thousands of years of

being ruled by being ruled by emperorsemperors, the last of , the last of China’s royal dynasty’s was toppledChina’s royal dynasty’s was toppled

Over the next 15-20 years, China was Over the next 15-20 years, China was in in chaoschaos as different groups struggled as different groups struggled to control the countryto control the country

By the 1930s, China entered a period By the 1930s, China entered a period of of civil warcivil war between 2 main political between 2 main political parties to determine who would control parties to determine who would control the countrythe country

2 Political Parties Fight for 2 Political Parties Fight for ControlControl

Nationalist Party Nationalist Party (KMT(KMT))

led by led by Chiang Kai-Chiang Kai-shekshek

wanted wanted democraticdemocratic gov’tgov’t

Communist Party (CCP)Communist Party (CCP) led by led by Mao ZedongMao Zedong wanted wanted communistcommunist

gov’tgov’t

Communists WinCommunists WinAfter years of civil war, the After years of civil war, the Communist Communist

PartyParty wins the fight for control wins the fight for control In 1949, Mao Zedong officially declared In 1949, Mao Zedong officially declared

China a China a CommunistCommunist nation called the nation called the People’s Republic of ChinaPeople’s Republic of China

Chiang Kai-shek and Chiang Kai-shek and his nationalist party his nationalist party were forced to flee to were forced to flee to the tiny island of the tiny island of TaiwanTaiwan

Chairman MaoChairman MaoMao Zedong = head of Chinese Mao Zedong = head of Chinese

Communist Party (CCP) & gov’tCommunist Party (CCP) & gov’tCommunist party set ALL gov’t Communist party set ALL gov’t policiespolicies, ,

giving Chairman Mao nearly giving Chairman Mao nearly absolute absolute powerpower

Communism’s GoalCommunism’s GoalThe goal of communism is to make The goal of communism is to make

everyone as everyone as equalequal as possible, to have as possible, to have a “a “classlessclassless” society” society

There is There is no private ownershipno private ownership of of property (ex. land, businesses)property (ex. land, businesses)

EverythingEverything is run by the gov’t, like is run by the gov’t, like factories, schools, hospitalsfactories, schools, hospitals

The gov’t provides The gov’t provides jobsjobs for everyone for everyone and pays everyone the and pays everyone the samesame amount amount of of moneymoney, no matter what their job or , no matter what their job or how well they do ithow well they do it

The Chinese Communist Party . . The Chinese Communist Party . . . .

took took landland from the wealthy and gave from the wealthy and gave it to the poorit to the poor

took control over China’s took control over China’s factoriesfactories and and businessesbusinesses, determining what , determining what and how much should be madeand how much should be made

forced peasant farmers to combine forced peasant farmers to combine all their land together into all their land together into ““collective farmscollective farms” and work ” and work together to grow foodtogether to grow food

Great Leap Forward (1958)Great Leap Forward (1958)What was it?What was it?

A program meant to speed up China’s A program meant to speed up China’s economic developmenteconomic development

Goals were set for Goals were set for agricultureagriculture (farming)(farming) and and industry industry (factories)(factories) productionproduction

All small farms were combined into All small farms were combined into larger farms called “communes” larger farms called “communes” where all ownership and decisions where all ownership and decisions were in the hands of the gov’twere in the hands of the gov’t

The CommunesThe Communes Each contained about 5000 familiesEach contained about 5000 families People gave up their ownership of tools, animals, etc. so People gave up their ownership of tools, animals, etc. so

that everything was owned by the commune. People now that everything was owned by the commune. People now worked for the commune and not for themselves. The life worked for the commune and not for themselves. The life of an individual was controlled by the commune. of an individual was controlled by the commune.

The commune provided all that was needed – including The commune provided all that was needed – including schools, nurseries, and entertainment. schools, nurseries, and entertainment.

Communist Party members oversaw the work of a Communist Party members oversaw the work of a commune to ensure that decisions followed the correct commune to ensure that decisions followed the correct party line.party line.

Propaganda was everywhere – including in the fields Propaganda was everywhere – including in the fields where the workers could listen to political speeches as where the workers could listen to political speeches as they worked. they worked.

Everybody involved in communes was urged not only to Everybody involved in communes was urged not only to meet set targets but to beat them. If the communes meet set targets but to beat them. If the communes lacked machinery, the workers used their bare hands. lacked machinery, the workers used their bare hands.

By the end of 1958, 700 million people had been placed By the end of 1958, 700 million people had been placed into 26,578 communes. into 26,578 communes.

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

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

““Backyard Furnaces”Backyard Furnaces”The Great Leap Forward encouraged communes The Great Leap Forward encouraged communes

to set up "back-yard" production plants. The to set up "back-yard" production plants. The most famous were 600,000backyard furnaces most famous were 600,000backyard furnaces which produced steel for the communes. which produced steel for the communes.

Cultural Revolution (1966)Cultural Revolution (1966)A program to increase support for and A program to increase support for and

remove opposition to the Communist remove opposition to the Communist partyparty

All parts of life were suppose to be All parts of life were suppose to be about communism – work, school, about communism – work, school, personal beliefs, art, etc.personal beliefs, art, etc.

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

Cultural Revolution cont.Cultural Revolution cont.Mao set out to rid the Chinese Communist Mao set out to rid the Chinese Communist

Party of anyone who did not fully support Party of anyone who did not fully support him him

Red GuardsRed Guards ( (groups of studentsgroups of students) ) patrolled for people Mao concerned patrolled for people Mao concerned “uncommunist”“uncommunist”

Cultural Revolution cont.Cultural Revolution cont.

Anyone who was thought to have Anyone who was thought to have developed a superior attitude was developed a superior attitude was considered an considered an enemyenemy of the party of the party and the peopleand the people

Mao wanted to create a China in Mao wanted to create a China in which peasants, workers, and which peasants, workers, and educated people worked together – educated people worked together – no-one was better than anyone else no-one was better than anyone else and all working for the good of China and all working for the good of China – a – a classless societyclassless society

Tiananmen SqaureTiananmen Sqaurestudent protests in 1989 in Beijing’s student protests in 1989 in Beijing’s

Tiananmen Square against the Tiananmen Square against the corruption & repression of China’s corruption & repression of China’s

communist governmentcommunist government

Goddess of Goddess of DemocracyDemocracy

modeled after modeled after America’s Statue America’s Statue

of Liberty of Liberty

an unarmed student stands up an unarmed student stands up against communist soldiersagainst communist soldiers