The Other Socialist State: People’s Republic of China

The China of Mao Zidong and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP)

“Never Forget National Humiliation” Wall, Old Summer Palace, Beijing, P.R.China

Context of the CCP Revolution

Marxism: Revolutions to overthrow Capitalism will happen in advanced industrial countries PROBLEM: Neither Russia nor China

Industrialized; primarily agricultural countries

Solution: Vanguard party seize power, crush dissent and build modern industrial state Political order will be authoritarian dictatorships

Context of the CCP Revolution

1920s-1937, 1945-1949: Civil War Communist and Nationalist struggle for power:

Inside: both want to unite China GMD: change from above CCP: union of peasants, workers, soldiers --

revolution from below Outside: End unequal treaties, foreign exploitation

Nationalize Communists want to close China to Western

capitalism

Appeal of Marxism-Leninism

Explains West’s technological-industrial lead; better weapons

Lenin’s Theory of imperialism as highest stage of capitalism explains colonialism Export contradictions of capitalism to Africa, Asia China: Treaty Ports, foreign exploitation

Communists win Civil War, establish PRC Goals

Self-sufficiency Development … but economic equality Self-defense

GREAT LEAPSBuilding Socialism in the PRC

People’s Republic of China

Liberation from Feudalism and Semicolonialism

Ends 5 millennia of aristocratic-landlord exploitation and a “Century of Humiliation”

Like USSR, Visual Culture used to remold minds with images

Within China: Build Socialism In the countryside --- In the City

Outside: Friendship with Oppressed Peoples & Socialist Countries

Anti-Imperialism

Women Hold Up Half the Sky

Soviet Model of Development: Central planning of the economy

State ownership of enterprises. Workers were state employees. Planned production targets and supply of

inputs. Managers were administrators of state property

and enforcers of the output plans.

INITIAL PHASE: 1950-1958

Goal of model – rapid industrialization, self- sufficiency

Extract surplus from agriculture to finance industrial development –

Rationalize process through centralized planning – 5 year plans – production targets

China’s Problems

Overwhelmingly rural, and backward (85%) -- tenancy, share-cropping common Huge population: 400+ million 1950

Peasants backbone of revolution; different than Russia where peasants seen as obstacle to progress Land reform -- get agriculture moving

More problems

Industrial sector less than half Russia in 1917 with 4 times the population

Industry located in former treaty ports, not linked to internal development (cheap labor, products for foreign consumption)

China’s First 5-year plan 1953-57 Emphasis on industry

steel, machinery, railroads, electricity plants, metallurgy, chemicals

Embrace rational planning – experts, bureaucrats lead

Results: rapid industrial development, but … Growth of bureaucracy New patterns of social inequality, privileged

elites Growing gulf between modernizing cities and

backward countryside Ideological decay, loss of revolutionary fervor

Mao’s Intervention

Not building a Socialist utopia of equal prosperity for all

Instead uneven development inequalities common in capitalism Making new classes

Mao’s Theory of Economic DevelopmentPast economic stagnation

led to mental stagnation

To Make Socialist Person --

Not sufficient to introduce

new technologies or alter

Mode of Production as had

been done in USSR

From “Poor and Blank” to Permanent Revolution Present unburdened by Past Change a matter of human will to overcome

objective obstaclesextreme volunteerism, optimism

“Our revolutions are like battles; after each victory, we must put forward a new task,” Mao 1958

Permanent Revolution

Constant process of ideologically inspired mass activism Producing “Great Leaps” Forward and “Cultural Revolution”

Ideology and Politics in Command Central planning abandoned

Economic Development

Maoist Vision: De-centralized System Close gap between urban-rural

Industrialize countryside Xiafang: technicians, intellectuals, youth to the

countryside commune

To create a Socialist Utopia: Dazhai Commune

ORGANIZE POPULATION INTO PRODUCTION UNITS TOTAL CARE -- HEALTH, EDUCATION, WELFARE INSPIRE WITH

CONTUNOUS IDEOLOGICAL WORK

Great Leap Forward

The Commune is Like a Mighty Dragon, Production is awe-inspiring

GLF Fails

Ends in massive famine -- 3 lean years

Struggle “Experts” vs. “Reds”

Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution Failure of Ideologically based Mass

Campaigns

Accomplishments of Maoist Era

Technology and Technical expertise transferred to Countryside

Infrastructure: education, electrification, roads, rural industry, health care

gap between urban-rural narrowed

PROBLEMS:

POPULATION EXHAUSTED FROM POLTICAL CAMPAIGNS

INDUSTRIAL AND AGRICULTURAL STAGNATION

Population triples (1.3 billion), 85% still in agriculture

Post-Mao Modernization

Socialism with Chinese Characteristics

Strategies: Opening to Outside Joint enterprises

Phase 1: 10year ownership, profits remain in China

Phase 2: removal of % of profits; permanent joint ownership

Phase 3: full ownership, greater % of profit

Technology transfer

Foreign experts: colleges, universities, industries

Education abroad Develop export based manufacturing, build

on cheap labor

Constant: tight control of currency -- no international exchange

Reform of Inside

De-collectivize agriculture, markets De-regulation of economy

privatization of state assets private enterprises tourism

Political Change Devolution: decentralization of power, local

elections legal reform

lingering problems of political rights/loss of economic rights

Successes

Fastest growing national economy in world 8-10% annually since mid-1980s

Reconstruction of almost all major cities; huge infrastructure investment