Unit 4: Area of Study 2 - Consequences of the Chinese Revolution

Question 1

Model to use when Responding to Area of Study 2

Answer 1

1. Challenge
2. Response
3. Outcome

Question 2

Years that Resulted from the Revolution

Answer 2

1917-1927

Question 3

Challenge of Social Improvements

Answer 3

The Communists have taken over a war-torn country and need to convince the ordinary Chinese that they are not just another repressive Warlord Army, but they instead are going to improve people’s lives

Question 4

Response of Social Improvements

Answer 4

The CCP implemented many progressive reforms to consolidate its power and win popular support. For example, Mao said that Capitalists are free to continue profiting from Capitalism, but they had to do their bit to help create a Socialist society. Every employer had to pay taxes into a Danwei (work) unit. The Danwei System provided industrial workers with an ‘Iron Rice Bowl’ of guaranteed social welfare. The Danwei funded pensions, subsidised housing, provided Childcare Centres, Communal Health Centres and Workers Clubs. The New Marriage Law that was passed in May 1950 guaranteed women with equal rights and a ‘no-fault’ divorce, which saw 1 million Chinese women sought divorces in 1950. The Agrarian Reform Law was passed in June 1950 spread the land reform campaign nationwide and saw the average Peasant double their landholdings. This was because the property was redistributed from the Landlords to poor Peasants

Question 5

Outcome of Social Improvements

Answer 5

The CCP quickly secured the acceptance of most Chinese Workers and Peasants as their lives were quickly improved

Question 6

Years of Mass Campaigns

Answer 6

1950-1952

Question 7

Years of Mass Campaign - Land Reform

Answer 7

1950-1952

Question 8

Target of Mass Campaign - Land Reform

Answer 8

Landlords

Question 9

Effect of Mass Campaign - Land Reform

Answer 9

Peasants were encouraged to denounce Landlords in ‘Speak Bitterness’ meetings and to vote on punishments in the People’s Courts. 1 million Landlords were executed and the remainder was stripped of their property

Question 10

Year of Mass Campaign - Thought Reform

Answer 10

1951

Question 11

Target of Mass Campaign - Thought Reform

Answer 11

Intellectuals

Question 12

Effect of Mass Campaign - Thought Reform

Answer 12

Intellectuals were forced to attend indoctrination classes on Mao Zedong Thought. Dissenters were forced to write ‘Self-Criticisms’, undergo ‘Struggle Sessions’ and were sent to be re-educated via labour. This led to all dissent being silenced

Question 13

Year of Mass Campaign - Sanfan (The Three Antis)

Answer 13

1951

Question 14

Target of the Mass Campaign - Sanfan (The Three Antis)

Answer 14

Corrupt Bureaucrats

Question 15

Effect of the Mass Campaign - Sanfan (The Three Antis)

Answer 15

The public was exhorted to denounce Bureaucrats for corruption, waste and Bureaucracy. Corrupt Officials were fined or dismissed. This campaign created a culture of honesty and obedience within the CCP

Question 16

Year of the Mass Campaign - Wufan (The Five Antis)

Answer 16

1952

Question 17

Target of the Mass Campaign - Wufan (The Five Antis)

Answer 17

Bourgeoisie

Question 18

Effect of the Mass Campaign - Wufan (The Five Antis)

Answer 18

Employees were exhorted to denounce Capitalists for bribery and tax evasion. 450,000 business owners were investigated for bribery and tax evasion which led to most being found guilty and were issued punitive fines. This movement resulted in the Nationalisation of the industrial sector of the CCP

Question 19

Years of the First Five-Year Plan

Answer 19

1953-1957

Question 20

Challenge of the First Five-Year Plan

Answer 20

To achieve Communism, the CCP needed to industrialise and modernise China

Question 21

Responses to the First Five-Year Plan (List 2)

Answer 21

• The Communist Party decided to follow the model of the Soviet Union and created the Central Planning Commission in Beijing which oversaw a massive set of state prioritise
• These Commissions hired 11,000 Soviet Advisors (such as engineers, architects and anybody who could help design the national curriculum. They oversaw 700 major industrial projects which included railways, bridges and power stations being built. 50% of Government spending went into developing heavy industries such as mines, railways and steel mills
• To pay for Soviet aid, the CCP levied heavy taxes on Peasants, took their wheat or rice to export overseas so they can sell it for cash

Question 22

Outcomes of the First Five-Year Plan (List 2)

Answer 22

• It created a Socialist and industrialised economy under Government control, which was a step towards Communism
• The First Five-Year Plan saw a 10% annual growth rate across China
• Peasants had opportunities to improve their lives by moving to the cities
• The Urban Workforce doubled to 100 million and real wages of Industrial Workers increased by ⅓

Question 23

Years of Collectivisation

Answer 23

1955-1956

Question 24

Challenge of Collectivisation

Answer 24

The CCP sought to collectivise agriculture. This would create a more productive,
Socialist economy and raise revenues from grain exports

Question 25

Response to Collectivisation

Answer 25

In 1955, a massive Collectivisation Drive was started and Peasant farmers were encouraged or forced to give up their land and join Government-run ‘Collective Farms.’

Question 26

Outcomes to Collectivisation (List 2)

Answer 26

• This created a Socialist economy by which the Government now controlled and were responsible for organising agriculture, providing another step towards Communism
• It failed to improve food production as there was no money to invest in tractors or chemical fertilisers, which saw food production being slowed
• Peasant living standards were worsened

Question 27

Year of the Hundred Flowers Campaign

Answer 27

1957

Question 28

Challenge of the Hundred Flowers Campaign

Answer 28

Mao was becoming disappointed with the increasingly Bureaucratic nature of the CCP and their loss of the revolutionary spirit. In February 1957, he called on Intellectuals to rectify the CCP’s work style

Question 29

Response to the Hundred Flowers Campaign

Answer 29

While initially being sceptical of the promise of free speech, by May 1957, Intellectuals responded with a torrent of criticisms

Question 30

Outcomes to the Hundred Flowers Campaign (List 2)

Answer 30

• Mao reversed himself, launching the Anti-Rightist Campaign
• Approximately 400,000 ‘Rightists’ were killed, by which the majority were sent to Lagai and were reformed through Labour Camps
• The Campaign signified the beginning of Mao’s reliance on terror to silence dissent

Question 31

Years of the Great Leap Forward (GLF)

Answer 31

1958-1961

Question 32

Cause of the Great Leap Forward (GLF)

Answer 32

Mao wanted a more creative and authentically Chinese path to building Communism

Question 33

Response to the Great Leap Forward (GLF)

Answer 33

In 1958, Mao announced the beginning of the Great Leap Forward (GLF), which organised Peasants into People’s Commune and urged them to join ‘Mass Campaigns’

Question 34

Great Leap Forward - Mass Campaign 1

Answer 34

Communes competed to meet high production targets

Question 35

Great Leap Forward - Mass Campaign Outcome

Answer 35

Cadres falsified production figures and in 1958 it was reported that grain harvest was 450 million tonnes but in reality, it was only 200 million tonnes

Question 36

Great Leap Forward - Mass Campaign 2

Answer 36

750,000 Backyard Furnaces were built for Peasants to smelt scrap metal and make steel

Question 37

Great Leap Forward - Mass Campaign 2: Outcome

Answer 37

100 million Peasants wasted time cheating worthless steel that was low-quality for any industrial use

Question 38

Great Leap Forward - Mass Campaign 3:

Answer 38

Peasants were given targets to ‘Kill the Four Pests’: Flies, Mosquitos, Rats and Sparrows

Question 39

Great Leap Forward - Mass Campaign 3: Outcome

Answer 39

Without Sparrows to eat them, insect pests like Locusts multiplied and attacked crops

Question 40

Years of the Three Year Famine

Answer 40

1959-1961

Question 41

Challenges of the Three Years Famine (List 2)

Answer 41

• The Great Leap Forward (GLF) led to increased grain requisitioning but decreased grain production
• Defence Minister Peng Dehuai denounced the GLF and said the CCP was overcome by exaggeration
• Unwillingly, Mao purged Peng Dehuai which triggered another purge of 350,000 ‘Rightist’ Cadres who had failed to adhere to the goals of the GLF

Question 42

Outcome of the Three Years Famine

Answer 42

Mao’s reactionary silencing of debate prevented the GLF’s problems from being addressed. 30 million people starved to death before the GLF was stopped

Question 43

Years of Liu Shaoqi’s Reforms

Answer 43

1962-1966

Question 44

Challenge of Liu Shaoqi’s Reforms

Answer 44

In January 1962, Liu Shaoqi denounced the GLF as a failure. Mao recognised he had lost the CCP’s confidence and withdrew from leadership

Question 45

Responses to Liu Shaoqi’s Reforms (List 2)

Answer 45

• Liu implemented moderate, Capitalist reforms
• Peasants were given private plots and were permitted to grow crops to sell for cash at markets
• Workers were incentivised with piece rates and cash bonuses
• Rightists’ were rehabilitated and restored to positions of authority

Question 46

Outcomes of Liu Shaoqi’s Reforms (List 2)

Answer 46

• These reforms were economically successful
• Mao feared Liu was taking China towards a Capitalist path
• There were growing divisions within the CCP between pro-Mao and pro-Liu leaders