Mao’s Domestic Policies – Part IMao’s Domestic Policies – Part I

First Five Year Plan – 1953-First Five Year Plan – 1953-19571957

Mao wanted China to “walk on Mao wanted China to “walk on two legs” – develop both two legs” – develop both agriculture and industry at the agriculture and industry at the same timesame timeSoviet Union assisted with Soviet Union assisted with $300 million and 10,000 $300 million and 10,000 Russian engineersRussian engineersTargeted the development of Targeted the development of heavy industry: coal, steel, heavy industry: coal, steel, chemicals, automobile, and chemicals, automobile, and transporttransport

Effects of the First Five Year Effects of the First Five Year PlanPlan

Failure to meet the targets established by Failure to meet the targets established by The National Resource Committee was The National Resource Committee was the equivalent of failing Chinathe equivalent of failing ChinaOverall industrial output increased 15.5% Overall industrial output increased 15.5% per year (faster than the target of 14.7%)per year (faster than the target of 14.7%)However, less people worked on farms, so However, less people worked on farms, so food production increased at an average food production increased at an average of 2% per year, compared to 14% from of 2% per year, compared to 14% from 1949-521949-52

Hundred Flowers Campaign (1957)Hundred Flowers Campaign (1957)

Mao indicated his supposed Mao indicated his supposed willingness to consider willingness to consider different opinions about how different opinions about how China should be governedChina should be governedGiven the freedom to express Given the freedom to express themselves, the Chinese themselves, the Chinese began opposing the began opposing the Communist Party and Communist Party and questioning its leadershipquestioning its leadership

Anti-Rightist Campaign (1957 & 59)Anti-Rightist Campaign (1957 & 59)

This was initially tolerated and even This was initially tolerated and even encouraged. However, after a few months, encouraged. However, after a few months, Mao's government reversed its policyMao's government reversed its policy

They persecuted those who criticized, and They persecuted those who criticized, and were alleged to have criticized, the Partywere alleged to have criticized, the Party

This was called The Anti-Rightist This was called The Anti-Rightist CampaignCampaign

Results of the Anti-Rightist Results of the Anti-Rightist CampaignCampaign

700,000 intellectuals were thrown out of 700,000 intellectuals were thrown out of their positions and professionstheir positions and professions

In every factory, 5% of the workers had to In every factory, 5% of the workers had to be denounced as “rightists”be denounced as “rightists”

All were sent to the countryside for reform – All were sent to the countryside for reform – many died of malnutrition, illness, cold, many died of malnutrition, illness, cold, overwork, and accidents doing unfamiliar overwork, and accidents doing unfamiliar jobsjobs

Some were executed or committed suicideSome were executed or committed suicide

Looking Back on the Hundred Looking Back on the Hundred Flowers & Anti-Rightist CampaignsFlowers & Anti-Rightist Campaigns

Two Opinions on the Hundred Flowers Two Opinions on the Hundred Flowers Campaign:Campaign:– From the start, it was a sneaky way to discover who From the start, it was a sneaky way to discover who

truly opposed Maotruly opposed Mao– Mao intended to weaken those within his party who Mao intended to weaken those within his party who

opposed him by having them bicker between opposed him by having them bicker between themselves, but it backfired when people criticized themselves, but it backfired when people criticized him more than he intendedhim more than he intended

Great Leap Forward – Second Great Leap Forward – Second Five Year Plan (1958-1962)Five Year Plan (1958-1962)

Collectivization became the official policy. Collectivization became the official policy. China’s land was divided into 70,000 China’s land was divided into 70,000 communescommunes

He hoped that it would help unemployment and He hoped that it would help unemployment and cause a genuine communal unitycause a genuine communal unity

He accused peasants of hiding grain and used He accused peasants of hiding grain and used force against themforce against them

The food would be traded for money to buy The food would be traded for money to buy weapons or used for fuelweapons or used for fuel

Policies Under the Great Policies Under the Great Leap ForwardLeap Forward

Forests were stripped of trees to be used as fuel for Forests were stripped of trees to be used as fuel for factories, so deforestization resultedfactories, so deforestization resulted

Anything that peasants could melt down into steel was Anything that peasants could melt down into steel was put in backyard furnaces, but the steel was poor put in backyard furnaces, but the steel was poor quality and led to poor equipment being createdquality and led to poor equipment being created

Mao ordered huge drives to build irrigation systems Mao ordered huge drives to build irrigation systems using poor equipment. Some of these projects are still using poor equipment. Some of these projects are still unstable todayunstable today

Mao also wanted to raise output in factories, so Mao also wanted to raise output in factories, so common sense and rules went to the wayside in the common sense and rules went to the wayside in the name of speed. Accidents frequently caused tens of name of speed. Accidents frequently caused tens of thousands of deathsthousands of deaths

Results of the Great Leap Results of the Great Leap ForwardForward

38 million died of:38 million died of:– Being worked to deathBeing worked to death– Others were killed, tortured, or imprisonedOthers were killed, tortured, or imprisoned– Famine (the average daily calorie intake was Famine (the average daily calorie intake was

1,534.8 for men and 1,200 for women – Aushwitz 1,534.8 for men and 1,200 for women – Aushwitz got between 1,300-1,700 calories per day)got between 1,300-1,700 calories per day)

Heavy industry developed (although it was still Heavy industry developed (although it was still behind most large industrial countries)behind most large industrial countries)Agriculture lagged behindAgriculture lagged behind

Results of the Great Leap ForwardResults of the Great Leap Forward

Agriculture failed because:Agriculture failed because:– Unscientific agricultural methods were usedUnscientific agricultural methods were used– There was a shortage of agricultural labor There was a shortage of agricultural labor

because of peasants working on industrial because of peasants working on industrial projectsprojects

– The peasants disliked losing their private lotsThe peasants disliked losing their private lots– Natural disasters – droughts and floodsNatural disasters – droughts and floods– Peasants didn’t work hard because grain was Peasants didn’t work hard because grain was

taken from themtaken from them

Results of the Great Leap Results of the Great Leap ForwardForward

As a result of the failure on As a result of the failure on the Great Leap Forward, the Great Leap Forward, Mao retired from the post Mao retired from the post of chairman of the People's of chairman of the People's Republic of ChinaRepublic of China

His place as head of state His place as head of state was taken by Liu Shaoqi, was taken by Liu Shaoqi, but Mao remained but Mao remained important in determining important in determining overall policyoverall policy

He’s Baaaaaaack!He’s Baaaaaaack!

In the early 1960s Mao became highly critical of In the early 1960s Mao became highly critical of the foreign policy of the Soviet Union. He was the foreign policy of the Soviet Union. He was upset that:upset that:– Nikita Khrushchev denounced StalinNikita Khrushchev denounced Stalin– Khrushchev was the head of the communist worldKhrushchev was the head of the communist world– Khrushchev backed down over the Cuban Missile Khrushchev backed down over the Cuban Missile

CrisisCrisisMao staged this media event – him swimming in the Yangze River – to indicate that he was still vigorous and capable to lead China

Cultural RevolutionCultural Revolution(1966-68)(1966-68)

The purpose of this movement was to:The purpose of this movement was to:– Restore Mao’s power and controlRestore Mao’s power and control

– Get rid of Soviet style communismGet rid of Soviet style communism

– Renew the spirit of revolution in ChinaRenew the spirit of revolution in China

– Destroy the rise of differentiation between the Destroy the rise of differentiation between the proletariat and bourgeois (he believed a proletariat and bourgeois (he believed a hierarchy was increasing in development)hierarchy was increasing in development)

Cultural Revolution (1966-68)Cultural Revolution (1966-68)

Red Guards (groups of youths who banded Red Guards (groups of youths who banded themselves together) were encouraged to criticize themselves together) were encouraged to criticize those who Mao deemed untrustworthy with regards to those who Mao deemed untrustworthy with regards to the direction he wanted China to take. No-one was the direction he wanted China to take. No-one was safe from criticismsafe from criticism

Schools were seen as being elitist, so they were Schools were seen as being elitist, so they were closed. Students were encouraged to work beside closed. Students were encouraged to work beside peasants in the countryside to enhance their peasants in the countryside to enhance their understanding of the revolutionunderstanding of the revolution

Everyone had a file on them, many were tortured or Everyone had a file on them, many were tortured or killed (500,000), humiliated in public, committed killed (500,000), humiliated in public, committed suicide, or sent to labor campssuicide, or sent to labor camps

In this photo taken in Harbin, Heilongjiang Province, China, on Aug. 25, 1966, the staff of the Heilongjiang Daily newspaper criticize Luo Zicheng, leader of the committee work group of the Provincial Communist Party, claiming that he follows "the capitalist line" and "opposes the revolutionary mass movement." His dunce cap announces his "crimes."

Cultural Revolution (1966-68)Cultural Revolution (1966-68)

There was a cult of Mao that was built upThere was a cult of Mao that was built up

Society was inundated with Mao’s face, quotes, Society was inundated with Mao’s face, quotes, statues, posters and other forms of propagandastatues, posters and other forms of propaganda

Little Red Book was published in 1963 and Little Red Book was published in 1963 and people were encouraged to read it as their people were encouraged to read it as their “Bible”. Schools used it in their curriculum“Bible”. Schools used it in their curriculum

Why Take Part?Why Take Part?

Mao would terrorize those who didn’tMao would terrorize those who didn’t

Mao promised to make a classless societyMao promised to make a classless society

Red Guards could do what they wanted and Red Guards could do what they wanted and could be violentcould be violent

Taking part in politics was something no one Taking part in politics was something no one had been allowed to do under Mao, so they had been allowed to do under Mao, so they were excitedwere excited

Cultural Revolution (1966-68)Cultural Revolution (1966-68)

Eventually the terror turned to anything cultural, Eventually the terror turned to anything cultural, including art and artists. Culture was wiped out, including art and artists. Culture was wiped out, as the image of Mao had to replace everythingas the image of Mao had to replace everything

The Red Guards confiscated tons of valuables, The Red Guards confiscated tons of valuables, which was then sold or destroyedwhich was then sold or destroyed

Then the terror turned to Party officials, his real Then the terror turned to Party officials, his real targettarget

Eventually Liu Shaoqi was ousted from the Eventually Liu Shaoqi was ousted from the party, ending the Cultural Revolution, although party, ending the Cultural Revolution, although some believe it ended with Mao’s death in 1976some believe it ended with Mao’s death in 1976

Burning of Buddhas

Burning of Books & Old Culture

Results of the Cultural RevolutionResults of the Cultural Revolution

Many suffered and died Many suffered and died (500,000 – 2 million)(500,000 – 2 million)Housing space increasedHousing space increasedAn entire generation lost An entire generation lost much of its schoolingmuch of its schoolingIntellectuals suffered mostIntellectuals suffered mostThere was a loss of There was a loss of cultural heritagecultural heritage

Mao’s Educational PoliciesMao’s Educational Policies

The CCP were reliant on Soviet help:The CCP were reliant on Soviet help:

– 600 Russians taught in Chinese universities600 Russians taught in Chinese universities

– 36,000 Chinese had studied at Russian 36,000 Chinese had studied at Russian universitiesuniversities

The illiteracy rate improved and so did school The illiteracy rate improved and so did school attendance, but not as much as it could’ve been attendance, but not as much as it could’ve been because of the Cultural Revolutionbecause of the Cultural Revolution

Students were taught about Mao and the Students were taught about Mao and the ideologyideology

The Arts, Media, & PropagandaThe Arts, Media, & Propaganda

When speaking about the Cultural Revolution (1966-When speaking about the Cultural Revolution (1966-1970), Mao said, “Our purpose is to ensure that 1970), Mao said, “Our purpose is to ensure that literature and art fit well into the whole revolutionary literature and art fit well into the whole revolutionary machine as a component party, that they operate as machine as a component party, that they operate as powerful weapons for uniting and educating the powerful weapons for uniting and educating the people and for attacking and destroying the enemy, people and for attacking and destroying the enemy, and that they help people fight the enemy with one and that they help people fight the enemy with one heart and one mind”heart and one mind”Students were to make “big-character posters” which Students were to make “big-character posters” which would called for students to cut class and travel across would called for students to cut class and travel across the country to meet other young activists and the country to meet other young activists and propagate Mao Zedong’s ideaspropagate Mao Zedong’s ideas

The Arts, Media, & PropagandaThe Arts, Media, & Propaganda

During the Cultural Revolution:During the Cultural Revolution:– Red Guards broke into people’s homes burned Red Guards broke into people’s homes burned

books, cut up paintings, trampled records and broke books, cut up paintings, trampled records and broke musical instrumentsmusical instruments

– Films were censored by Mao’s wifeFilms were censored by Mao’s wife– Writers wore large insulting wooden plaques hung Writers wore large insulting wooden plaques hung

from thin wire around their necksfrom thin wire around their necks– Many artists and other people were beaten and Many artists and other people were beaten and

sent to reeducation campssent to reeducation camps– There was a loss of cultural heritageThere was a loss of cultural heritage