Mao - was authoritarianism achieved?

Question 1

Political Control?

Answer 1

“Maoist autocracy reached heights of totalitarianism unparalleled by Hitler or Stalin” - Richard Fenby

E1: - The ‘1954 Constitution’ established China as an autocratic one-party state with no legal political opposition

E2:The internal governmental structure of the PRC ensured that Mao maintained total political power himself

• National People’s Congress (1200-3000 members) –> Central Committee (100-200 members) –> Politburo (20 members) –> Standing Committee (5 members) then Mao (Chairman of the PRC)
• Common program gave army + police the right to suppress all counter revolutionary activites (2 million arrested ‘49-‘53)
• Centralised power –> 4 senior Communist officials in place over each region
• The members in the standing committee were mainly friends of Mao (Lio Shaouqi standing chairman)
• This was essentially democratic realism

Question 2

Perspectives supporting the claim that Mao achieved authoritarianism politically?

Answer 2

Gray → Hierarchy Mao created = “useless instrument” (no effective check on policies).

• Mao’s policies were effectively passed without any question whatsoever
• He forced the peasants into MATS’s –> APC’s for recollectivisation purposes despite the fact they wanted to buy and sell

Question 3

Perspectives suggesting Mao did not have total power politically?

Answer 3

• Mao had to re-organise his structure out of fear of losing power –> ‘68 Mao restructured the gov –> Brought less experienced newcomers to the roles –> Did it due to PLA expansion
• It should be noted that from 1959-66 Mao had relatively little control (resigned as PRC Chairman AND
  removed himself from daily administration) → Liu Shaoqi + Deng Xiaoping took over (retained CCP control).