The Other Socialist State: People’s Republic of China The China of Mao Zidong and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP)
Jan 05, 2016
The Other Socialist State: People’s Republic of China
The China of Mao Zidong and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP)
“Never Forget National Humiliation” Wall, Old Summer Palace, Beijing, P.R.China
Context of the CCP Revolution
Marxism: Revolutions to overthrow Capitalism will happen in advanced industrial countries PROBLEM: Neither Russia nor China
Industrialized; primarily agricultural countries
Solution: Vanguard party seize power, crush dissent and build modern industrial state Political order will be authoritarian dictatorships
Context of the CCP Revolution
1920s-1937, 1945-1949: Civil War Communist and Nationalist struggle for power:
Inside: both want to unite China GMD: change from above CCP: union of peasants, workers, soldiers --
revolution from below Outside: End unequal treaties, foreign exploitation
Nationalize Communists want to close China to Western
capitalism
Appeal of Marxism-Leninism
Explains West’s technological-industrial lead; better weapons
Lenin’s Theory of imperialism as highest stage of capitalism explains colonialism Export contradictions of capitalism to Africa, Asia China: Treaty Ports, foreign exploitation
Communists win Civil War, establish PRC Goals
Self-sufficiency Development … but economic equality Self-defense
GREAT LEAPSBuilding Socialism in the PRC
People’s Republic of China
Liberation from Feudalism and Semicolonialism
Ends 5 millennia of aristocratic-landlord exploitation and a “Century of Humiliation”
Like USSR, Visual Culture used to remold minds with images
Within China: Build Socialism In the countryside --- In the City
Outside: Friendship with Oppressed Peoples & Socialist Countries
Anti-Imperialism
Women Hold Up Half the Sky
Soviet Model of Development: Central planning of the economy
State ownership of enterprises. Workers were state employees. Planned production targets and supply of
inputs. Managers were administrators of state property
and enforcers of the output plans.
INITIAL PHASE: 1950-1958
Goal of model – rapid industrialization, self- sufficiency
Extract surplus from agriculture to finance industrial development –
Rationalize process through centralized planning – 5 year plans – production targets
China’s Problems
Overwhelmingly rural, and backward (85%) -- tenancy, share-cropping common Huge population: 400+ million 1950
Peasants backbone of revolution; different than Russia where peasants seen as obstacle to progress Land reform -- get agriculture moving
More problems
Industrial sector less than half Russia in 1917 with 4 times the population
Industry located in former treaty ports, not linked to internal development (cheap labor, products for foreign consumption)
China’s First 5-year plan 1953-57 Emphasis on industry
steel, machinery, railroads, electricity plants, metallurgy, chemicals
Embrace rational planning – experts, bureaucrats lead
Results: rapid industrial development, but … Growth of bureaucracy New patterns of social inequality, privileged
elites Growing gulf between modernizing cities and
backward countryside Ideological decay, loss of revolutionary fervor
Mao’s Intervention
Not building a Socialist utopia of equal prosperity for all
Instead uneven development inequalities common in capitalism Making new classes
Mao’s Theory of Economic DevelopmentPast economic stagnation
led to mental stagnation
To Make Socialist Person --
Not sufficient to introduce
new technologies or alter
Mode of Production as had
been done in USSR
From “Poor and Blank” to Permanent Revolution Present unburdened by Past Change a matter of human will to overcome
objective obstaclesextreme volunteerism, optimism
“Our revolutions are like battles; after each victory, we must put forward a new task,” Mao 1958
Permanent Revolution
Constant process of ideologically inspired mass activism Producing “Great Leaps” Forward and “Cultural Revolution”
Ideology and Politics in Command Central planning abandoned
Economic Development
Maoist Vision: De-centralized System Close gap between urban-rural
Industrialize countryside Xiafang: technicians, intellectuals, youth to the
countryside commune
To create a Socialist Utopia: Dazhai Commune
ORGANIZE POPULATION INTO PRODUCTION UNITS TOTAL CARE -- HEALTH, EDUCATION, WELFARE INSPIRE WITH
CONTUNOUS IDEOLOGICAL WORK
Great Leap Forward
The Commune is Like a Mighty Dragon, Production is awe-inspiring
GLF Fails
Ends in massive famine -- 3 lean years
Struggle “Experts” vs. “Reds”
Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution Failure of Ideologically based Mass
Campaigns
Accomplishments of Maoist Era
Technology and Technical expertise transferred to Countryside
Infrastructure: education, electrification, roads, rural industry, health care
gap between urban-rural narrowed
PROBLEMS:
POPULATION EXHAUSTED FROM POLTICAL CAMPAIGNS
INDUSTRIAL AND AGRICULTURAL STAGNATION
Population triples (1.3 billion), 85% still in agriculture
Post-Mao Modernization
Socialism with Chinese Characteristics
Strategies: Opening to Outside Joint enterprises
Phase 1: 10year ownership, profits remain in China
Phase 2: removal of % of profits; permanent joint ownership
Phase 3: full ownership, greater % of profit
Technology transfer
Foreign experts: colleges, universities, industries
Education abroad Develop export based manufacturing, build
on cheap labor
Constant: tight control of currency -- no international exchange
Reform of Inside
De-collectivize agriculture, markets De-regulation of economy
privatization of state assets private enterprises tourism
Political Change Devolution: decentralization of power, local
elections legal reform
lingering problems of political rights/loss of economic rights
Successes
Fastest growing national economy in world 8-10% annually since mid-1980s
Reconstruction of almost all major cities; huge infrastructure investment