IB History- Consolidation of Power by Mao

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When did Mao’s Land Reform Campaign begin?

June 1950, lasted until 1952

What was the Land Reform Campaign?

Place peasants into different classes (rich, middle, or poor) and eliminate landlords. Replace old elites with communist power structures. Violence killed 800,000+ landlords. Sought to preserve rich peasant economy so agricultural production wouldn’t drop.

Land Reform Campaign- Goals

To get rid of landlords, gain more power in the agricultural sector, and remunerate peasants, allowing them to have more authority and be less likely to live lives in poverty, and to classify peasants into certain classes. Preserve agricultural production.

Land Reform Campaign- Success

Killed 800 thousand landlords, sorted peasants into rich, middle, or poor peasants, and gave peasants more land to own. CCP increased control over the land and agricultural production. More access to local villages.

Land Reform Campaign- Consolidate Power

The CCP gained influence in villages by eliminating landlords, allowing peasants to own land and boosting CCP's popularity among the majority. This instilled fear among elites, aiding CCP control.

Suppression of Counter Revolutionaries Dates

Spring 1951

What was the Suppression of Counter-Revolutionaries movement?

The CCP targeted urban counter-revolutionaries, including civil servants and secret societies from the previous regime, along with capitalists and intellectuals. The campaign involved aggressive tactics, such as public executions, to eliminate opposition. Despite its brutality, the initiative went unnoticed outside specific groups and didn't involve mass mobilization of the populace.

Suppression of Counter Revolutionaries- Goals

Eliminate prominent party opposition- GMD holdovers, secret societies, and intellectuals who posed a threat to the communist regime.

Suppression of Counter Revolutionaries- Success

The campaign went largely unnoticed by the public. However, many innocent people were also killed amidst the trialing. 

Suppression of Counter Revolutionaries- Consolidation of Power

The CCP's campaign eliminated political opponents, including GMD civil servants and urban secret societies, consolidating their power in China. This brutal suppression ensured CCP's sole governance at all levels, instilling fear and support through both action and intimidation.

Three Anti Campaign Dates

Winter 1951-1952

What was the Three Anti?

The Three Anti campaign aimed to eradicate corruption in urban areas of China and raise funds for the Korean War. Focusing on bureaucratism, corruption, and waste, it targeted basic-level cadres. The campaign utilized methods from the Yan'an era, including study groups and mass mobilization, relying on social ostracism, criticism, and self-criticism. Confessions were incentivized with vague promises of rewards and exposed individuals faced punishment. This campaign, marked by fear and coercion, helped Mao maintain government control.

Three Anti- Goals

Two Main Goals: Fund efforts for Korean War

Second: Party leaders worried that ranks in the cities were becoming more corrupt.

Three Anti- Success

Campaign worked to traumatize those involved in corruption. People in study groups experienced a complete change in person. Removed authority from corrupt.

Three Anti- Consolidate Power

The campaign aimed to consolidate power by removing corrupt cadres, instilling fear and preventing further corruption. This fear made cadres cautious and incentivized them to expose others, strengthening control over both cadres and the urban population.

Five Anti- Dates

Winter 1951-52

What were the five anti?

Focused on corruption in urban china- Businessmen. Used Yan’an Era techniques like mass mobilization, thought reform, and social ostracism to eliminate corruption, tax evasion, stealing state property, stealing state economic secrets, and cheating on state contracts.

Five Anti- Goals

Eliminate five behaviours displayed by urban businessmen: Corruption, tax evasion, stealing state property, cheating on state contracts, and stealing state economic secrets. These were unified by an overlying goal of eliminating corruption.

Five Anti- Success

Campaign cultivated a state of fear among businessmen, many saw deteriorating relations with workers. Businessmen also sold businesses to government at cheap prices out of fear. Established unions.

Five Anti- Consolidation of Power

The CCP was able to successfully consolidate both political and economic power during this time period. By implementing these policies, many businessmen ended up selling their businesses to the government, providing the CCP with a more powerful control over the Chinese economy. Additionally, the CCP helped establish unions among workers during this era, meaning they also gained working-class support in urban areas.

Thought Reform of Intellectuals- Dates

Winter and Spring 1951-1952

What was the Thought Reform of Intellectuals?

Mobilized students to question their teachers, moving educational model to resemble a Soviet one instead of a European/American one. Changed traditional roles in schools.

Thought Reform of Intellectuals- Goals

This campaign had a goal to change university curriculum in China to be more like that of Soviets than of European or American models. This campaign also wanted to divert from traditional roles in schools, by giving the students more power to criticize their teachers.

Thought Reform of Intellectuals- Success

The campaign did traumatize teachers, proving to be successful in mobilizing students. Teachers were more afraid of being condemned by their students, and educational models moved closer to Soviet models.

Thought Reform of Intellectuals- Consolidate Power

The CCP emphasized education as a vital source of knowledge for future generations. They shifted towards a Communist-based approach, mirroring the Soviet model, to exert control over students. This instilled fear in teachers, diminishing their influence and compelling them to align their teachings with Communist ideals.

Agricultural Cooperativization Dates

1955-1956

What was Agricultural Cooperativization?

Chinese agricultural production remained poor, and land reform didn’t help with long term productivity of agriculture. The CCP followed the Soviet model of collectiving agriculture. China moved towards this goal in several stages, with peasants being encouraged to form Mutual Aid Teams, involving pooling labor, and became encouraged to join Agricultural Producers Cooperatives (APCs). Payment was based on work done for the co-op and the other half would be based on resources contributed. Rich peasants didn’t want to participate, and the CCP allowed those who wanted to withdraw leave.

Agricultural Cooperativization- Goals

The goals of agricultural cooperativization were to increase China’s agricultural productivity by collectivizing agriculture.

Aggricultural Cooperativization- Success

This campaign wasn’t particularly successful, as the way the campaign handled payment discouraged rich and middle-class peasants from participating. There was no prominent increase of agricultural output either.

Agricultural Cooperativization- Consolidate Power

The campaign successfully consolidated power by collectivizing over 92% of peasant households by 1956. This gave the CCP greater control over agriculture, enabling regulation of food distribution, exports, and allocation for urban development. Mao collaborated with local leaders, garnering peasant support and strengthening his authority.

Socialist Transformation of Industry and Commerce Dates

1955-1956

What was the Socialist Transformation of Industry and Commerce?

The Socialist Transformation of Industry and Commerce offered urban capitalists to sell their businesses at bargain prices to the state. Most of these people eagerly sold them, due to trauma from past years of failure. Some business owners even pleaded with the government to buy their business.

Socialist Transformation of Industry and Commerce- Goals

The CCP wanted to have more control over the economy and businesses that were owned by the people.

Socialist Transformation of Industry and Commerce- Success

Many people were eager to sell their business. This was because of past years of trauma, so many were willing to leave their businesses.

Socialist Transformation of Industry and Commerce- Consolidate Power

The CCP strengthened its control over businesses and the economy, shifting towards a Communist-controlled model where the government owned most businesses. This enhanced overall control over the population, reducing economic risks and tensions. The CCP's efforts were viewed positively by civilians, fostering a sense of assistance and reducing the likelihood of rebellion.