Mao's Political Problems (1949)

Question 1

Why was there no history or experience of democratic rule in China?

Answer 1

China had previously been ruled by Emperors and military warlords who ran provinces as their own private land or ‘Fiefdoms’.

Question 2

Why was the CCP unpopular amongst the Chinese middle class?

Answer 2

Because the CCP seized power, and were not democratically elected.

Question 3

Where did the majority of the CCP’s support come from?

Answer 3

The peasants.

Question 4

Why did the CCP find it hard to run cities and rebuild the economy?

Answer 4

 Most experienced officials and bureaucrats left with the GMD.
 CCP members were only experienced guerrilla warfare and lacked knowledge of civil government.
 There was a lack of planning due to the speed in which the provisional government was defeated.

Question 5

How did the GMD still pose a military threat to the CCP?

Answer 5

They sent saboteurs to attack the communist regime and the US supplied planes to bomb coastal cities.

Question 6

How many Chinese were killed in a February 1950 raid by the GMD in Shanghai?

Answer 6

Over 1000.