Theme 1 - The new power structure Flashcards
Define “One Party State”
- A political system with little or no competitive democracy, where the same party is permanently in power
Define “Democratic Centralism”
- A political structure whereby political power is retained tightly at the centre. The element of democracy stems from the notion that party members have some degree of input before a policy decision is reached (This is not always the case in practice as we see in the Chinese context).
Describe the 1949 constitution
- In September 1949 the CCP organised the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference or CPPCC. It was a body of 662 delegates which created a Common Program For China which essentially acted as a provisional constitution from 1949-54. The delegates represented the whole political spectrum and even members of the GMD were present.
- “Democratic personalities” were also invited who were essentially high profile politicians.
- However, all of these individuals had little power and were used for propaganda purposes. The inclusion of a wide range of people made the new regime appear open and democratic.
Outline the key points of The Common Program For China
- All except “political reactionaries” would enjoy free speech
- Emphasised the leading role of the CCP but acknowledged the other parties
- Recognised the right to own private property.
- Soviet style economy planning focused on heavy industry
- Supported equal rights and universal education
- Mao was named as head of state
Define “Legislature”
Institution of government responsible for making laws
What was the National peoples congress?
- A new constitution was drafted in 1954 that declared “all power in the PRC belongs to the people”. As a result of this, an elected legislature, the National Peoples congress was formed.
- It represented the wishes of the people and met once a year to discuss laws and amend the constitution.
- Its power included voting for the chairman of the PRC, deciding on issues of war and was responsible for the direction of the country’s economic policy.
Why, at a surface level was the new form of government, democratic centralism, initially perceived as democratic?
- Supposedly, the voice of the people could be heard in the central government through democratic elections to the legislature.
- There would also be democratically elected local congresses that would govern at a local and provincial level. These people could pass information up to the “centre” which was the government in Beijing.
Why, upon closer examination could the new democratic centralism system be perceived as undemocratic and dictatorial?
- Once the policy had been decided by the central government, there was no feedback system that allowed the decision to change or be altered.
- No deviation from the prescribed line set by the the central government was allowed.
- China had a strict tradition of respecting authority rooting back to the Qing area due to the ideas of Confucius. The ideas of Confucius formed the basis for democratic centralism as they taught respect for the hierarchy and power. Mao could take advantage of this as it provided historical justification for his overarching authority.
What were the three branches of government?
1) The Chinese Communist Party (CCP)
2) The Central People’s Government
3) The People’s Liberation Army (PLA)
How had Mao taken advantage of the new structure to hold a dominant position?
- The new system greatly enhanced Mao’s own authority. There was no clear distinction between the three branches of government, they overlapped and were greatly interconnected.
- Because of this relationship, Mao was Chairman of both The CCP and the PRC.
- In addition, senior communists beholden to Mao held positions in the Central People’s government AND the PLA.
- This allowed Mao to control all aspects of governance.
Describe the Structure of the CCP.
- Political Power rested within the part and therefore Mao as chairman.
- The party had a central committee of 49 members in 1949
- The committee was dominated by the 25 man Politburo
- The Politburo was dominated in turn by the 5-member standing committee
- As the standing Committee’s Chairman, it was Mao who held all the power.
Name some of the figures at the top of the structure who served alongside Mao
Zhou Enlai = Premier of the People’s republic (Prime minister essentially) and Foreign Minister.
Liu Shaoqi = The chairman of the standing committee of the National Peoples Congress (had the power to alter laws issued by the congress).
Both Men fought alongside Mao in the civil war and were long standing allies of the regime.
In reality, the National Peoples Congress rubber stamped the decisions made by these men
Describe the role of the PLA in the new power structure.
- After the PRC was formed in 1949, the CCP lacked a means of national control and the answer, according to Mao, lay in the “barrel of the gun”.
- The PLA was said gun, and the party controlled the force through the military affairs commission.
- The PLA greatly increased communist control during the reunification campaigns and the achievements accomplished during the Korean War.
- Between 1950-53, the PLA removed over 100,000 enemies of the communists.
- A conscription law passed in 1955 ensured 800,000 new recruits every year, indoctrinating communist ideology and creating genuine ideological commitment ,earning the force the nickname “The Big University” as soldiers were taught to read and write.
What was the “learn from the PLA” campaign?
- Instructed people to learn the revolutionary attributes of the “peoples soldiers” such as discipline, bravery, resourcefulness, incorruptibility and dedication to the communist cause.
Explain the structure of the Central Peoples’ Government
- The power in the government was concentrated in the Peoples Government Council which combined legislative and executive powers.
- It passed decrees, passed laws, declared wars, managed the budget and appointed all key government personal.
- The government council, renamed the state council in 1954 was headed by Zhou Enlai who co-ordinated 24 ministries such as justice, heavy industry and food.
