China: Party, Dictatorship, Markets, and Socialism

These flashcards cover key terms and concepts regarding the political and economic history of China, focusing on the period from the establishment of the Republic of China to recent developments.

Republic of China (1911)

The first republic in Asia established after the fall of the Qing Dynasty, leading to significant political changes.

Sun Yat Sen

The founding father of the Republic of China and its first provisional president.

Comintern

The Communist International, an organization aimed at encouraging worldwide communist revolution.

United Front

A strategy used by Chinese Communists and Nationalists to collaborate against warlords and foreign imperialists.

Chinese Civil War (1949)

The conflict that culminated in the establishment of the People's Republic of China by the Communists.

Patronage jobs

Employment opportunities created as a result of economic growth, often connected to the ruling party.

Great Leap Forward (1958)

A campaign by the Chinese Communist Party aimed at rapidly transforming the country from an agrarian society to a socialist society through industrialization.

Cultural Revolution (1967)

A sociopolitical movement launched by Mao Zedong to enforce communism by removing capitalist, cultural, and traditional elements from Chinese society.

Hukou system

Household registration system in China controlling population movement and access to services.

Collectivization

The policy of consolidating individual landholdings and labor into collective farms.

People’s Liberation Army (PLA)

The combined military forces of the People's Republic of China, originally formed as the Red Army.

Marriage Law of 1950

Legislation enacted to modernize marriage practices, allowing divorce and prohibiting polygamy.

Famine (1959-1961)

A devastating period in China resulting from poor policies during the Great Leap Forward, causing millions to starve.

Peng Dehuai

A military leader who opposed the Great Leap Forward and was punished for speaking out.

Anti-Rightist Campaign (1957)

A political campaign to purge intellectuals and perceived critics of the Communist Party.

Dazhai commune

Famous for being portrayed as a model of successful collective agriculture during the Great Leap Forward.

State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs)

Companies owned and operated by the government, central to China's economy.

Market socialism

An economic system combining market practices with socialist ownership of production.

The China Puzzle

The phenomenon of China's rapid economic growth despite weak legal and institutional frameworks.

Gini coefficient

A measure of income inequality within a population; China's Gini coefficient rose sharply over the years.