3.4 - Political changes Flashcards
Why did Mao launch the thought reform and Antis campaign?
By 1951 structure of the gov was in place, GMD supporters rounded up and sent to re education camps people been brought under control by requiring them to be registered in a region and obliging them to obtain permission to move to different places. Mao was not satisfied that CCP had complete authority. He was deeply suspicious of intellectuals who’s views were different and had education abroad. In Sep 1951 CCP launched a thought reform campaign focused on forcing intellectuals in universities to confess the errors of their thinking attend study session to re-educate them in Mao Zedong thought.
Mao suspected party memebrs of moving away from his teaching and businessmen of supporting capitalist ideas
What political changes did Mao bring when he came as leader?
Victor of communist in Civil war brought important political changes in China. New gov led by Mao Zedong who was chairman of the CCP China was a democratic country -
Every adult was allowed to vote
Elections were held across the country in the towns and villages
Claimed power was in hands of people
Reality was different communist party only political party allowed leading memebrs help key positions in new republic. Government was carried out by politburo organisation of leading members by CCP controlled by Mao/ Mao was suspicious of any criticism because of his great power.
Political system and the way in which government was conduct were based upon Mao’s beliefs. Known as Mao Zedong thought included ideas like class struggle and need for continuing revolution to prevent counter revolutionary ideas entering China threatening revolution. Mao believed in the mass organisation of ordinary people to drive the revolution. Determined not to lose control to SU.
What was the content of the three antis campaign and the 5 antis campaign?
Campaigns were conducted through mass meetings, loyal citizens were encouraged to denounce officials and employers who they considered guilty of offences those denounced were encouraged to make public confessions were punished by fines or sent to labour camps. Humiliation was so great it was estimated 2-3 million committed suicide.
Campaigns did have the effect that Mao wanted there was a huge increase in support for th part reduction in activity of criminal gangs in large cities
What is the Hundred flowers campaign?
In 1957, Mao appeared to change his mind. Although in 1955 he had ordered punishment of people who believed there should be more freedom in artistic creation. Mao was becoming more open to allowing debate. In early 1957 he announced that the people were to ‘let a flower bloom’ Mao was encouraging free speech and he called on intellectuals and artist to say where the part and government had gone wrong in their efforts to create a communist state
Mao did this for a number of reasons:
China needed educated classes for its industrial development and the lack of intellectual freedom was freedom preventing scientific advances.
Mao thought the campaign would shake up the CCP identifying those who were corrupt and loyal.
Th 1956 revolution Hungary demonstrated what happenes when people doe snot support communist government
What were the effects of the Hundred flowers campaign?
At first criticism was limited focused on trivial matters. However after call was repeated by China’s newspaper volume grew and Mao was shocked to find criticism was no confined to CCP officals but included him campaign ended.
Mao’s response to the criticism was to stop the HFC and launch instead an Anti-rights campaign. Critics were now labelled as rightist and forced to confess their evil thought before being sent to re-education camps for sentences of up to 20 years. Between 500,000 ad 750,000 victims
Leading members of the part were not safe either. As the Lushan conference in 1959, Peng Dehuai only party member criticised the famine was denounced and replaced by Lin Biao/ Mao stepped down as head of state did not effect his power though very clever move could stand aside from the failures of the party especially regarding taking the blame for the fammine.
