Consolidating Power Flashcards
1949 - 1953
When was the people’s Republic of China declared?
1st October 1949
What does the 5 stars on the Chinese flag represent?
The four revolutionary classes: The proletariat, peasants, petty bourgeoisie, patriotic capitalists
The leadership: The Chinese Communist party
What is a cult of personality?
The use of propaganda to generate an idealised image of a political leader, particularly in authoritarian dictatorships. This is used to stop people from questioning their leadership.
Where did Mao’s cult of personality stem from?
> Strong & capable: Survival in the Long March, growth in Yan’an, victory in the Civil War
> Complete loyalty: through a combination of fear (rectification campaigns) & propaganda (Mao Zedong Thought)
> Inspiration: He gave confidence to the Chinese people
When was the Treaty of Friendship & Alliance signed?
14th February 1950
What did the Treaty of Friendship & Alliance entail for China?
> A loan of 300 million $USD
50 large scale industrial projects to be built and managed by the USSR
11,000 experts from the USSR to build the industry
What did the Treaty of Friendship and Alliance entail for Russia?
> A ‘sphere of influence’ over Xinjiang and Manchuria
All ‘surplus’ tin & grain
Soviet advisors were paid highly and exempted from Chinese laws
China in 1949…
They were coming out of:
> Eight years of war with Japan (1937-1945)
> Three years of civil war (1946-1949)
Problems:
> 50% of industrial production was destroyed
> Tens of millions of displaced Chinese
How did Mao stabilise China from 1949 onwards?
> Refugees resettled; peasants paid to return to the country side
Inflation dropped from 1000% in 1949 to 15% in 1951 by introducing a new currency and nationalising banks
Epidemics were halted through mass vaccination and health education campaigns
1950 marriage law: rights for women
What were the limits of stabilisation?
Industry: Capitalists were encouraged to stay, but then later persecuted
Heath: Spending hit a cap of 2.6% 1956, and never rose again.
Women’s rights: Contraceptives were discouraged
Furthermore, by concentrating these efforts to the cities, Mao’s regime was losing touch with the ideals of the peasant revolution as early as the 1950s.
When was the Korean War?
1950-1953
How many troops did China send to the Korean War?
3 million PLA soldiers, called ‘patriotic volunteers’
What does historian Fenby suggest about Mao sending soldiers to defend North Korean in the war?
“For the PRC, the ability of its army to stand up to the technologically superior Americans was seen as roof of enhanced status… [and] the power of the will and the force of the revolution.”
How did the Korean War affect China?
The PLA lost 400,000 soldiers and 600,000 was injured.
> The US involvement increased fears of foreign imperialism. It prompted increased repression in China.
> As a result of increased US aid to Taiwan, the PRC would be unable to finish the ‘unification’ of China and destroy the Guomindang.
What is an overview of how the People’s Republic was governed?
Government of the People’s Republic of China:
> State council
> Standing committee
> National People’s Congress (Parliament)
> Local & Provincial government
Chinese Communist Party: > Politburo > Central Committee > Communist Party Congress > Local Communist Party chapters
People’s LIberation Army
The government and the party were separate, but the party was the government, i.e. the government will always uphold the CCP’s values.
