Establishing Communist Rule (1949-57)

Question 1

what methods of terror was used ?

Answer 1

The great terror 1950-51

Millions arrested + given black class labels

Crackdown on criminals such as Triads

over 100k arrested- most killed

Question 2

what was the three antis (1951-52)

Answer 2

targeted corruption + waste led by Bo Yibo

It caused 100,000 to be caught in east china alone by
- ‘tiger hunting teams’

Question 3

what was the five antis ( 1951-52)

Answer 3

targeted tax evasion + bribery
- directly targeted the ‘bourgeoisie’

Question 4

Pros and cons of the five antis

Answer 4

Pro

• not many executions but around 2-3 mill people caught commited suicide due to fear of public humiliation

Con

• lots of false accusations during this campaign by businessmen to get rid of their rivals

Question 5

Reunification Campaigns 1949-50

Answer 5

Tibet captured in 1950

• easy for Mao as Tibetans lacked modern weapons

-Mao’s campaign sought to destroy Tibetan culture, language and religion

Xinjiang with Uyghur pop strategically important +
acted as a buffer zone

Question 6

Reunification Campaigns 1949-50

Answer 6

Tibet captured in 1950

• easy for Mao as Tibetans lacked modern weapons

-Mao’s campaign sought to destroy Tibetan culture, language and religion

Xinjiang with Uyghur pop strategically important +
acted as a buffer zone

Question 7

what was the Laogai system

Answer 7

Developed in the 1950s similar to Russian Gulag

• described as a place of ‘re-education’
• in reality = BRUTAL LABOUR CAMPS

Mao + CCP used them as fear and terror to keep population in line

Question 8

Significance of the Laogai system

Answer 8

by 1955 slave labour generated over 700 million yuan

And over 300K tonnes of grain

During the whole period 20-25 million deaths in Laogai camps

Question 9

what was the 100 flowers campaign 1957

Answer 9

mao suprised everyone by calling for an open discussion + criticism of the CCP

Question 10

why did mao launch the 100 flowers campaign

Answer 10

Mao might’ve called for the 100 flowers campaign to show he wasn’t a DICTATOR like STALIN

However it might’ve been a trap

• 100flowers halted when lots of criticisms flooded and people labelled as ‘rightists’

Question 11

events of the 100 flowers campaign

Answer 11

100 F was slow at star - people were scared

after a while a trickle of comments surfaced which turned into

• HUGE FLOODS of criticisms came with it aimed at specific polcies and even individual leaders

Question 12

change in events of the 100 flowers campaign

Answer 12

after the flood of criticisms

100F debate halted and turned into a ‘ANTI-RIGHTIST’ campaign

up to 500k people labelled as
- ‘poisonous weeds’
- ‘rightists’

and sent to laogai camps