Mao's China: Establishment and Policies

These flashcards cover key terms and concepts associated with Mao's establishment of the People's Republic of China and his domestic policies.

People's Republic of China (PRC)

The communist government established in China in 1949, unifying the nation under Mao's leadership.

Mao Zedong Thought

An ideology emphasizing the role of the peasantry in revolution, differing from Stalin's focus on industrial workers.

Speak Bitterness Meetings

Meetings where landlords were denounced publicly by peasants, leading to land redistribution and violence against landlords.

Great Leap Forward

A failed campaign by Mao aimed at rapidly transforming China from an agrarian economy to a socialist society through rapid industrialization.

Cultural Revolution

A socio-political movement from 1966 to 1976 initiated by Mao to reinforce communist ideology and remove capitalist elements.

Re-education through Labor Camps

Facilities established in the 1950s to punish dissenters, often involving forced labor and harsh conditions.

Anti-Rightist Campaign

A campaign initiated by Mao in the late 1950s to suppress intellectual criticism and remove perceived opposition.

Hundred Flowers Campaign

A policy allowing intellectuals to express dissenting opinions which backfired, leading to the Anti-Rightist Campaign.

Collectivization

The policy of merging small farms into large, state-controlled collective farms, common in Mao's agrarian reforms.

Five Antis Campaign

A campaign launched in the early 1950s targeting bribery, theft, tax evasion, cheating on government contracts, and stealing state property.