The transition to Socialism, 1952–1962

Question 1

Political developments: issues of leadership and purges of the CCP

Answer 1

• The purge of GAO Gang and Rao Shushi, 1953; GAO attempts to unsurp position of Zhao Enlai by criticising him in a debate over the pace of change, with the backing of Rao Shushi- Mao uses GAO’s actions to accuse GAO and Rao of attempting to build independent kingdoms- Gao commits suicide rather than facing humiliation in 1954, Rao is arrested and dies in prison.
• Anti Hu-Feng Campaign, 1955; writer Hu-Feng criticises CCP of controlling culture, stifling creativity and art- he was dismissed as a writer and arrested and imprisoned- led to purge of intellectuals

Question 2

Economic developments: industry and agriculture;

Answer 2

• 1952; APCs established- higher stage APCs established in 1955, consisting of 200-300 households
• by July 1955, 17 million households belonged to APCs, and by January 1956, around 63% of the peasant population (75 million households) had been pushed into APCs
• disappointing impact on agriculture, production only grew by 3.8% between 1953 and 1957

Question 3

Social developments: the destruction of rightists, class enemies and rectification campaigns

Question 4

Foreign affairs: Korea; the Sino-Soviet split; clashes and the breakdown of relations between Khrushchev and Mao

Question 5

the first Five Year Plan for industry and the Great Leap Forward

Question 6

the 100 Flowers campaign

Answer 6

• 1956-57; Mao encourages intellectuals to come forward and criticise CCP leadership, as a result of the end of the FFYP and Khrushchev’s destalinisation speech which made Mao want to distinguish Chinese communism as a separate ideology
• Many leading figures within the CCP were opposed to this as they felt it would weaken control of CCP over China
• Anti-Rightist Campaign- as a result of torrent of criticism towards CCP leadership, Mao set out to eradicate counter revolutionaries and Rightists- as many as 500,000 intellectuals branded as rightists and persecuted

Question 7

Mao’s resignation as Chairman of PRC

Answer 7

• Symbolic move
• Lost his control over administration and implementation of Policy, however he retained control over the ideological direction of CCP through his Chairmanship of the CCP

Question 8

purge of Peng Dehuai

Question 9

reasons for the failure of GLF and its aftermath; debates over economic policy

Question 10

women’s rights and welfare campaigns; the impact of collectivisation; the famine

Question 11

the impact of collectivisation

Question 12

the famine

Question 13

the Sino-Soviet split; clashes and the breakdown of relations between Khrushchev and Mao

Question 14

clashes and the breakdown of relations between Khrushchev and Mao