Education & Health Provision

Question 1

Mao: Long declared education to be priority

• Particularly bothered by inequality of education opp.
• Peasants (90% of ppl) had no access to education
• Modern schools damned as ‘foreign style’: but peasants preferred this.
• However: this would not help transformation to communism.

Answer 1

1949-65: Educational Policy switched between:

1. Desire to replicate reforms introduced to CCP held areas during C.W.
2. Pressing needs of economic prod.
3. Changing levels of commitment to following Soviet model.

Question 2

After 1965: Education system thrown into chaos by C.R.

- Education: Undoubtedly one of most important tools used by regime for making China communist.

Answer 2

• Did make some progress in educational reforms across period.
• Debate: How much did the people of China enjoy the benefits?