Establishing Communist Rule - The New Power Structure

Question 1

The new constitution

Answer 1

• CCP organised the Chinese people’s political consultative conference (CPPCC) to meet in Beijing
• this body of 662 delegates created the common program for China to act as a provisional constitution
• only 16 of the delegates formal members of CCP
• inclusion of a range of organisations made new regime seem more open and democratic

Question 2

Democratic centralism - formation of national people’s congress

Answer 2

• 1954, new constitution declared ‘all power in the people’s republic belongs to the people’
• an elected legislature, the national people’s congress was to be part of the communist party
• would represent wishes of the people and meet once a year
• national people’s congress would elect chairman of PRC

Question 3

Structure of the new government

Answer 3

1. Communist party (CCP)
2. the central people’s government
3. the People’s Liberation Army (PLA)

• new system enhanced Mao’s own personal authority
• Mao both chairman of CCP and PRC

Question 4

The communist party (CCP)

Answer 4

• by 1950, 5.8 million members
• party had a central committee of 49 members… dominated by 25 man politburo…ultimately controlled by 5 man standing committee…
• as standing committee chairman, Mao held the real authority
• national congress acted as a ‘rubber stamp’
• no policy Mao did not approve of would be realised

Question 5

The central people’s government

Answer 5

• power in government concentrated in the people’s government council
• headed by Zhou Enlai
• interpreted and enacted laws
• made treaties and declared wars
• appointed all key government personnel
• Zhou co ordinated 24 new ministries such as justice, heavy industry and finance

Question 6

The People’s Liberation Army (PLA)

Answer 6

• party controlled the PLA through the military affairs commission
• PLA helped increase communist control through reunification campaigns
• PLA allowed Mao to enhance his personal political prestige
• PLA assigned responsibility for suppression of bandits
• conscription law passed in 1955 ensured 800,000 new recruits every year
• new soldiers indoctrinated with communist propaganda

Question 7

Regional bureaux

Answer 7

• PRC divided into six massive regions governed by regional party bureaux
• each bureau had 4 officials: government chairman, first party secretary, military commander and army political commissar

Question 8

‘Learn from the PLA’ campaigns

Answer 8

• instructed people to learn from the ‘people’s soldiers’
• discipline, bravery… commitment to the communist cause
• loyalty of PLA so important soldiers often exempt from legal authority

Question 9

The PLA’s economic role

Answer 9

• officers’ dependants compelled to work in the co-operative farms
• work teams of PLA soldiers contributed to up to a weeks free labour a year, e.g. teaching or construction
• every 50 men commanded to raise at least 1 pig
• during GLF PLA forced to help peasants hunt down pests
• PLA men forced to collect their excrement for fertiliser

Question 10

PLA - a modern fighting force

Answer 10

• losses during Korean War convinced Mao and general Peng Dehuai that PLA needed modernising
• abandonment of old style guerrilla tactics
• size of army reduced to 3.5 million
• new military academies trained an ideologically committed generation of officers
• advanced professional army a key tool in consolidation of the regime