China AOS2: Key Events

Question 1

Key Events

Proclamation of the PRC:

Answer 1

Proclamation of the PRC: 1st October 1949

• Introduced reform to existing political system
  
  • Non-Communist politicians ‘window dressing’ (Fenby)
• Mao as Head of State and Head of CCP
• CCP interwoven with the State
• PLA remained under control of CCP

Question 2

Key Events

Consolidation of Communist Power:

Answer 2

Consolidation of Communist Power: 1949-

• Guided by pragmatic considerations
• Civil servants who served under GMD encouraged to stay in their positions (CCP needed control still)
• Educated Chinese overseas encouraged to return - left careers and jobs
• ‘National Capitalists’ - CCP kept those with expertise (factory managers, businessmen) to keep economy stable
• PLA: Brought border regions under CCP control

Question 3

Key Events

Early Economic Reform:

Answer 3

Early Economic Reform: 1949-1950’s

• Yuan introduced May 1949 - foreign cash banned
• Nationalisation of banks: CCP in control, decreased amount of money in circulation
• Wages based on prices of basic living items
• Taxes reformed - made more bearable
• Inflation: 85,000% in 1949 - 15% in 1951

Question 4

Key Events

The Korean War:

Answer 4

The Korean War: 1950-1951

• Kim Il-Sung discusses K-War with Stalin and Mao: 1949-1950
  
  • Stalin: ‘I shall not lift a finger’
• North Korea invades South Korea: 5 June 1950
• UN/US Intervention: 15 September 1950
• China backs North Korea: 8 October 1950
• Stalemate: January 1951
• Economic Embargo against China due to UN resolution: 1951

Question 5

Key Events

Agrarian Reform Law:

Answer 5

Agrarian Reform Law: 28 June 1950

• Redistribution of land amongst peasants
  
  • Land taken from landowners and given to poorer peasants
  • Moderate - ‘Good’ landlords allowed to keep some of their land
• Introduction of Fanshen
• Legitimised ‘Speak Bitterness’ meetings
• Implemented by 1000’s Party Cadres who spread the message to villages across China

Question 6

Key Events

Fanshen - ‘Turning Over’:

Answer 6

Fanshen - ‘Turning Over’: 1950-

• Direct result of Agrarian Reform Law
• ‘Turned Over’ the rural social order on its head
• ‘Speak Bitterness’ meetings
  
  • Emotionally charged; public denunciation of ‘local tyrants’
• Spiralled out of control:
  
  • The People ‘got on board’ - hard to contain
  • Korean War - fear of counter-revolutionary influences
• 1 million deaths - up to 5 million (Becker)

Question 7

Key Events

Thought Reform Campaign:

Answer 7

Thought Reform Campaign: 1951-

• Targeted intellectuals - urged to amend their bourgeois habits
• Self-criticism; ‘gave public declarations of their ideological shortcomings’ (Ryan)
• Public denunciations: Intellectuals publicly humiliated

Question 8

Key Events

Three/Five Antis:

Answer 8

Three/Five Antis: 1951-

• Three Antis: Targeted ‘corruption, waste, and bureaucratism’
  
  • Aimed at politically unreliable gov’t officials
  • Mao declared: ‘We need to have a good clean up’
• Five Antis: Targeted ‘tax evasion, fraud, ‘cheating’ gov’t contracts, theft of gov’t property, bribery’
  
  • Aimed at businessmen and industrailists
  • 450,000 businesses investigated
  • Most factories became join private-state ventures

Question 9

Women’s Rights Campaign:

Answer 9

Women’s Rights Campaign: 1950-