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Mao's China - IB history notes
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Summary of IB history's Topic 10-Authoritarian states section for Mao's China. Notes are made according to the syllabus for Paper 2.
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Mao (Communist China) vs Hitler (Nazi Germany)
Topic 10: Authoritarian states (20th century)
Section 1: Emergence of authoritarian states:
● Conditions in which they emerged:
Sub-topic Communist China
Economic Unfair economic situation
Heavy taxes on the people - up to 70% for peasants, poverty widespread.
factors Inequality rampant - 4% of population controlled 50% of fertile land for
agriculture.
Poorly managed state economy
90% of population were farmers. Taxes did not reach government - local officials
bribed. 80% of government spending on army. Overtime, forced government to
borrow and go into debt. Feb 1947 - Inflation reached 3000%. 1948 - New currency
(Gold Yuan) failed - govt printed more worthless money.
Social Resentment of elite
Heavy taxes on the people - up to 70% for peasants, poverty widespread.
division Inequality rampant - 4% of population controlled 50% of fertile land for
agriculture. Mao encouraged respect for peasants among troops - won hearts
and minds (3 rules and 8 points for attention)
Heavy gender inequality
Very little women’s rights - Harmful practises like foot binding widespread, low
education rates, inequality in marriage, infanticide of female babies high.
Impact of World War 1
Yuan Shikai forced to sign 21 demands - economic, infrastructural concessions to
war Japan. Allied gains in WW1 (eg. German Shandong given to Japan, not given to
China until 1922 (Despite Versailles). Frustration seen in May 4th movement -
Protests against foreign presence in China.
World War 2
GMD turned on communists once again in New Fourth army incident (Jan 1941)
- Chiang + GMD seen as less concerned with protecting country from
foreigners, more with internal politics. Mao advertised as true patriot. GMD
weakened during war. CCP membership: 40,000 (1937) to 800,000 (1940)
Mao (Oct 1949) - “Our nation will never again be an insulted one. We have
stood up”. - Attacks on China fueled national unity.
Weakness Chaos - Qing + Warlord era (1911-27)
Qing dynasty corrupt - ruler was 2 years old - Could not unify country. Brutal
of political warlords (High taxes, looting, disrespect) prompted peasant desire for strong
system central government. Also, peopled fed up with outdated system - many new
ideas were gaining traction - eg. May 4th movement (Mobilisation of disgruntled
peasants), New life movement (GMD encouraging abandonment of Confucian
values, embracing western values)
, National unity not achieved - GMD control (1927-37) (Nanjing decade)
Following 1927 Shanghai massacre - GMD turned backs on left-wing party
members, peasants, workers - viable communist recruits. Party presence low -
Party branches in only 20% of China.
Relied on corrupt warlords to collect taxes elsewhere. Relied on secret police
and military to control population. Factionalism in party. Promised parliamentary
democracy not implemented during Nanjing decade. ‘New Life movement’
appealed mostly to middle class - 90% of people were peasants. At peak, GMD
controlled only 2/3rds of China. During Civil war, US withdrew $200 million of
aid to GMD.
Historian Chen: “Peasant poverty worsened in the 1930s because of landlord
exploitation”
● Methods used to establish authoritarian states:
Sub-topic Communist China
Persuasion Can use aspects from ‘Propaganda’ (Persuasion) and ‘Use of
and coercion force’ (Coercion)
Role of Appealing to peasantry
This was a core value of the CCP. Mao laid down 8 points for attention -
leaders Encouraged respect for women, peasants and their property. Went from 40,000
members in 1937 to 900,000 in 1945. Regularly visited farms - Personal
connection (Peasant background) but also scored propaganda points
Building cult of Mao
Red army marched 7,000 miles - Inspiring story from which they could draw
upon - less than 10,000 of initial 70,000 survived. Mao ruthless - Killed 2000 in
1930-31 Futian incident for being ‘GMD agents’ - were in fact supporters of
Mao’s rivals for CCP leadership. (Jan 1935) Zunyi conference - Mao elected
CCP leader. Yan’an rectification campaign (1942) - Mao purged ‘Bolshevik’
members of party, encouraged members to engage in self-criticism - Making
Mao seem more powerful in party. Mao’s ideas became party ideology.
Ideology Communist revolution with Chinese elements
Importance of peasants - could overthrow capitalism and create a socialist
society - direct opposite of GMD who ignored peasants. Mass mobilisation -
‘Party should learn from people’ - Who would then voluntarily support
campaigns. Continuous revolution - Revolution should be constant process of
renewal - to avoid complacency and corruption.
Mao Zedong thought
Mao was portrayed as being always right - The solution to any problem could be
found if Mao thought was studied hard enough. Encouraged self-criticism and
rectification - Could attack enemies for mistakes, or for not confessing
(Appearing suspicious) - regular purges needed for officials to prevent
corruption and elitism - allowed for rivals to be eliminated. Portrayed violence
as a necessary part of the revolution - encouraged fanaticism.
Use of force To eliminate GMD + gather support
1948 Seige of Changchun - Through blockade, intentional starvation - 300,000
deaths (Including civilians). Struggle sessions encouraged to promote peasant
violence against landlords (Not always popular). Between 1931-1934, around
700,000 people killed in Jiangxi Soviet3. Half murdered as ‘class enemies’.
Historians Jung Chang + Jon Halliday - ‘Rest died from causes also
attributable to regime’.
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