Past Paper Questions Paper 2 Flashcards
(19 cards)
Explain TWO ways in which the role of women in China in
1949 was different from the role of women in China in 1963.
- A difference was that women had more social rights in 1963 than they had in 1949. In 1949, women had few rights. In 1963, they had equal rights to request a divorce and they were allowed rights to own, buy and sell property
- A difference was that women were more involved in politics. In 1949, women played little part in politics. In 1963, they were officially encouraged to participate in politics at
national and local levels.
Explain TWO causes of student unrest in China in the years
1986-89.
- Students were unhappy because they lived in poor conditions and had to pay high rents. They also had poor job prospects. They blamed this, and the high prices of
commodities, on government policies - Deng’s rejection of democracy angered students and led to protests. Prof Fang Lizhi used student protest to open up academia with western style freedoms of speech and
the press, but Deng Xiaoping cracked down on this causing further resentment
How far did the influence of the Soviet Union in China
change in the years 1921-89?
(United Front/The Sino-Soviet split)
- Relations between Mao and the Soviet Union broke down in the late 1950s. Khrushchev called the GLF ‘foolish’ and failed to provide promised nuclear hardware. Mao criticised the Soviet Union, resulting in the Sino-Soviet split.
- Soviet influence grew when Japan’s intervention in Manchuria and eastern China resulted in the Soviet Union providing military equipment to support both the GMD and the CCP. After the CCP won the civil war Soviet influence increased significantly. As a result
of the 1950 Treaty, the Soviet Union provided loans and ‘advisers’ and helped China
develop nuclear energy
How far did the influence of the Soviet Union in China
change in the years 1921-89?
(Additional Points)
- Throughout the 1920s and 1930s, the Soviet Union continued to give its support to the Chinese government, believing that the GMD was most likely to succeed in bringing anti-Western revolutionary change to China
- The poor relations between the Soviet Union and Chinese leaders after Mao meant that there was little change in Soviet influence, which remained limited throughout the period 1960-89.
How far was the First Five-year Plan the key turning point in
changing China’s economy in the years 1949-89?
(First 5-year Plan)
- The first Five-year Plan led to China’s urban population becoming heavily involved in construction and production in factories and three times as many
women in the workforce, resulting in significant increases in production - The first Five-year plan saw the arrival of Soviet assistance with 10000 economic advisors provided. Soviet assistance allowed China to produce nuclear
energy to power its industry, which was very important
How far was the First Five-year Plan the key turning point in
changing China’s economy in the years 1949-89?
(Alternative Views)
- The first Five-year Plan was not as effective as sometimes suggested. Some figures were exaggerated and it also led Mao to believe that anything could be achieved if the will to succeed existed
- A transformation in China’s economy came under Deng with an open-door policy and Special Economic Zones, coupled with privatisation and westernisation. These reintroduced the profit motive.
- The Sino-Soviet split had a major impact on the economy. The removal of Soviet advisers meant a loss of economic expertise and over 200 projects were cancelled, thus undermining the Plan as a turning point.
Describe TWO features of EITHER the Anglo-German naval race OR
the battle of Passchendaele.
(Anglo-German naval race)
- The Anglo-German naval race began with the passing of the first German Naval Law in 1898. The Law aimed to create a naval force that could compete with the British navy in size and strength.
- Britain was dependent on having the most powerful navy in the world for the defence of its empire and trade. In the years before 1914, it built a still more
powerful fleet, notably the Dreadnought class of battleship.
Explain TWO ways in which how Mao dealt with political
opposition was similar to how Deng dealt with political
opposition.
- A similarity was that strong measures were taken against opposition. Mao sent party
members for lengthy periods in re-education camps and Deng used troops to crush protests in Tiananmen Square - A similarity was that both tried to control opposition through the use of censorship. Mao stopped criticism in the press after the Hundred Flowers Campaign and Deng stopped criticisms being pinned to the Democracy Wall.
Explain TWO causes of the unpopularity of the ‘Gang of Four’ in China.
- They lost public support in 1976 by actions such as banning state-run media reports of Zhou’s death and forbidding public tributes and mourning.
- One cause was that they had not had the full support of Mao. They were not trusted because Mao’s opinion was of such importance to many Chinese people
How significant was the Chinese Communist Party in
weakening the Guomindang in the years 1912-49?
(CCP)
- The failure of the GMD to wipe out the Communists in the extermination campaigns and the success of the Long March led to increased support for the Communists and opposition to the GMD
- As a result of Communist opposition Chiang was forced to prioritise defeating the Communists over defeating the Japanese up to 1936. This made him unpopular and lost the party support
- Ultimately, the Communists won the civil war and overthrew the Nationalist government.
How significant was the Chinese Communist Party in
weakening the Guomindang in the years 1912-49?
(Additional Points)
- The Warlords were a serious threat to the Guomindang as there were hundreds of them and many had powerful private armies
- The Japanese went to war with China in 1937. Such was the threat posed to the Guomindang by the war, that Chiang had to work in partnership with his rivals,
the Communists.
How far did the position of women in China change in the years 1949-89?
(Marriage Law/Birth control)
- Mao claimed that women held up half the sky and the Marriage Law of 1950 gave them extra rights, including divorce
- There was no real long-term change in attitudes to women. Arranged marriages continued and women who divorced their husbands were looked upon as outcasts
- The one-child policy led to killing of baby girls and a reinforcement of beliefs that males were superior
How far did the position of women in China change in the years 1949-89?
(Additional Points)
- Deng’s education reforms opened the way for women to have more opportunities to be educated to degree level and to study abroad
- Deng’s move towards a market economy led to women being relegated to menial agricultural production in the countryside and low-paid factory jobs in the towns
Explain TWO ways in which the attitude of students towards
the government during the Cultural Revolution was different
from the attitude of students towards the government in
1989
- A difference was that, during the Cultural Revolution, the students were acting in support of government policy to destroy the bourgeoisie, whereas in Deng’s time the students were protesting about government policy
- A difference was that in the Cultural Revolution the students felt the use of violence was justified. In Deng’s time, the protesters against the government believed in
peaceful protest
Explain TWO causes of the Shanghai Massacres (1927)
- Chiang was convinced that the United Front had served its purpose in defeating the warlords and he no longer needed the support of the Communists
- Chiang disapproved of Communism. The GMD received financial support from businessmen who wanted to destroy Communism
How far was Mao’s leadership the reason for the increased strength of the Chinese Communist Party in the years 1921-49?
(Mao’s leadership)
- Mao was responsible for a skilful propaganda campaign before and during the Civil War. This increased support for the Communists and kept up the morale of those already in the party
- After 1935, Mao played a key role in leading the Long March, which resulted in the survival of the Communists in China
How far was Mao’s leadership the reason for the increased strength of the Chinese Communist Party in the years 1921-49?
(Additional Points/GMD)
- Guomindang policies caused opposition. They failed to introduce measures to
help the peasants and were considered an elitist party. So, they lacked support - Support from the Soviet Union was important. The CCP received military training and support through propaganda in the 1920s from Soviet advisers
- The CCP gained control of significant amounts of military equipment when the Soviet Union invaded Manchuria at the end of WW2 and handed arms to the
communists.
How far was Deng’s modernisation policy the key turning point in the economic transformation of China in the years 1949-89?
(Deng’s modernisation policy)
- Deng’s modernisation policy involved adopting an open-door policy for trade and encouraging competition with foreign countries. This encouraged innovation and efficiency, improving industrial output
- Deng’s policy resulted in a more skilled workforce. Chinese students were encouraged to travel to the West to learn technical skills. Deng wanted to train at least a million technical students who would help modernise Chinese industry
How far was Deng’s modernisation policy the key turning point in the economic transformation of China in the years 1949-89?
(Additional Points/First 5-year Plan)
- Mao’s First Five Year Plan was important because it saw a significant increase in production. China’s urban population was heavily involved in construction and production in factories
- The Great Leap Forward was important as it brought about a significant change in the economy, with private businesses coming to an end and massive state projects introduced. It also saw the introduction of collectivisation
