Mao’s China:

“A revolution is not a dinner party...”

• “A revolution is not a dinner party, or writing an essay, or painting a picture, or doing embroidery; it cannot be so refined, so leisurely and gentle, so temperate, kind, courteous, restrained and magnanimous. A revolution is an insurrection, an act of violence by which one class overthrows another.”

Geographical Changes

• Communist China gained control over:– Chinese– Turkestan

(Xinjiang)– Inner

Mongolia– Manchuria– Tibet

PRC = People’s Republic of China (Communists) / ROC = Republic of China (Nationalists)

Having defeated the Guomindang, Mao set about building a Communist China. His first concern was rebuilding a country that had been torn apart by years of civil war.

• Communist ideology shaped new government

• Change in China’s political, economic systems

• Government discouraged practice of religion

Rebuilding China

• Also seized property of rural landowners, redistributed among peasants

• Put in place Soviet-style five-year plans for industrial development

Development

• 1957, first plan doubled China’s small industrial output

• Early efforts to build economy successful

• Improved economy, reduced poverty

First Plan

China under Mao

• China Modeled on Soviet Union

• Soviet Union provided financial support, aid in China’s first years • China modeled many of its new political,

economic, military policies on Soviet system• 1950s, territorial disputes, differences in ideology

pushed China away from Soviet allyImprovements in literacy rates, public health • Chinese life expectancy increased sharply over next few decades

• Improvements came at a cost– To consolidate Communist control over China, government soon began to

eliminate so-called “enemies of the state” who had spoken out against government’s policies

– Many thousands—including public officials, business leaders, artists, writers—killed, or sent to labor camps

So, overall was the first 5 yr plan a success or a failure?

• All health care was free• Western and traditional healthcare were

practiced.

“Women hold up half the sky!”