MHIS- China Cultural Revolution to Tiananmen Square

Arrest of counterrevolutionaries Jan- Oct 1950

Jan-Oct 1950: 13,800 arrests of counterrevolutionaries. Pattern of distrust and fear established.

What did the 1951 Three-Anti campaign target (cues: corrupt. waste...)

1951 Three-Anti campaign. targeted three evils of corruption, waste and culture of bureaucracy. Aim to purge 25% of CCP.

What did the 1952 Five-Anti campaign target (cues: bribery, tax evasion)

1952 Five-anti campaign: evils of bribery, tax evasion, theft of government property, fraud, leaking of state secrets. Targeted middle class industrialists, workers had power to investigate the business dealings of their bosses

Effect of land redistribution (% of rural pop, % of cultivatable land late 1950s)

Land redistribution – by late 1950s 60% of rural population owned 43% of cultivatable land

Effect of the 1950 Sino-Soviet Friendship, Alliance, Mutual Assist Treaty (cue: USSR Chinese territory, loan at what interest?)

1950 Friendship, Alliance and Mutual Assistance Treaty signed. USSR withdraws from all Chinese territory it occupied during the war. Offers China a $300 million loan at 1% interest

Outline Sino-Soviet split (withdraw technical assistance, 1969 BOrder War)

Sino-soviet split really began in 1960s, with USSR withdrawing technical assistance and economic experts from China 1960 1969 border war 60 soviet soldiers ambushed

How and when did Mao launch the 100 Flowers Campaign (cue: 1957 speech, criticism, destructive acts)

Feb 1957: Mao’s speech “On the Correct Handling of Contradictions Among the People”: support for policy allowing people to criticise bureaucracy if writers and intellectuals put forth competing ideologies as long as no “destructive acts”

How did Mao respond to the 100 Flowers Campaign and its impact (cue: Anti-Rightist, effect feedback)

"Mao: spiralling out of control, criticism no longer allowed -\> Anti Rightist Campaign (1957): ‘000ks critics rounded up to execute/ reeducation

Fear -\> lack of feedback: Great Leap Forward"

Frank Dikotter estimated deaths Great Leap Forward

Frank Dikotter: estimated 45 million died

Michael Boyle estimate on housing stock demolished for raw materials

Michael Boyle: 36% of housing stock was demolished to obtain raw materials for collective projects.

How did Liu and Deng challenge Mao's dominance through economic policy (cue: 1961, family incentive)

1961: Liu Shaoqi and Deng Xiaoping: economic reconstruction challenge Mao’s dominance (family incentives)

Outline the 1961 play Hai Rui dismissed from Office (cue: critique of Mao)

Anti-Mao play Hai Rui Dismissed From Office published 1961, critiqued Mao’s dismissal of officials

Response to Hai Rui play (cue: 1965 Shanghai newspaper, Mao and wife)

1965 Shanghai newspaper called the play a ‘poisonous weed’. Mao and wife moved to Shanghai – more radical city – Liu stayed in Beijing – more conservative city. Mao’s wife had her power base in Shanghai

Mao's concept of permanent revolution (cue: stagnating)

Permanent revolution: to prevent the Chinese revolution stagnating and becoming a reactionist and retrograding bureaucracy

Michael Dillon on Mao's leadership aims in CR (cue: battle leadership)

Michael Dillon: not in fact a “struggle about culture” but a battle for the leadership of the Communist Party

Start of Cultural Revolution (cue: May, party purge"

May 1966: Announced the beginning of a party purge to be organised by the Cultural Revolution Group (CCRG).

Mao's method for appealing to people (cue: great disorder, young people, Bombard, Lynch regenerate nation

"Appeal directly to people: ‘great disorder…leading to great order”

Encouraged young people to criticise ideas and Party members he wished removed (“Bombard the Headquarter” banner August 1966, Qinghai Uni students)

made the young feel as though they played a special role in regenerating the nation (Michael Lynch)"

Jiang Qing role in CR (Gang of Four) (cue: suppressed, cultural, denigration, Criticise campaign)

"“totally suppressed” a wide variety of traditional cultural activities (Michael Lynch)

public denigration of Mao’s enemies, particularly Liu Shaoqi and Deng Xiaoping.

1973: initiated the “Criticise Lin, Criticise Confucius” campaign"

Yao Wenyuan role in CR (cue: writer union, Hu Feng, labour in Lushan)

Led state's efforts to rid China's writers union of the left-wing critic Hu Feng, successfully sending him to labour in Lushan, Sichuan in 1968.

Outline what a struggle session was

Culpable forced to undergo ‘struggle sessions”, humiliated, torture (eg. aeroplane position, head thrust, knees bent, arms pulled high behind the back).

Stats on CR destruction (cue: Beijing place of cultural interest destroyed, books burnt in Tomb of Confucius)

"5000 of Beijing’s 6900 “places of cultural interest” destroyed

Beijing Normal Uni students burn 2000 books in Tomb of Confucius"

CCP purge death toll

Purges killed over 500K CCP officials

Outline when, how and why Mao purged Deng and Liu from government (cue: spearheads of..., peasant family incentive, dismissed from govt when?)

August 1966: Accused Deng and Liu of being “spearheads of the erroneous line” and became “revisionists”, offended at how they tried to bypass him through increasing peasant family incentives in GLF aftermath. Formally dismissed them from government positions 2 months later

Outline Mao's fears towards Lin by 1971

"1971: Mao or his confidants become disturbed by Lin and the PLA’s growing influence under the Cultural Revolution, as the latter brought the Red Guards under control. Feared that the PLA would reassert his strength over the politicians, with Lin a key figure.

Mao remarks that someone was seeking to “elevate himself”, with reference to Lin. Lin and PLA leaders told to submit themselves to self-criticism."

Lin's response to Mao's scepticism (assassination, lin Liguo, flee to...when)

"Reluctantly conspires in assasination plot organised by his son, Lin Liguo, but plans leaked by Lin Biao’s daughter to Zhou Enlai.

Lin tries to flee to the USSR, but plane carrying him and his family crashed on 13 September 1971 over Outer Mongolia."

Effect of Lin's fall from grace on popular morale (cue: criticise Lin Biao, question govt rhetoric, party worker believed ...)

"The denouncing of Lin Biao under the “criticise Lin Biao and Confucius campaign” as a “great traitor” led many to privately question whether official government rhetoric could be believed.

Party worker reports that “aware that something was fundamentally wrong with the system”, lost faith"

Lynch on effect of CR on health

Health: Doctors seen as an elite class who did not learn “the dignity of labour”, detached. Had to subordinate medical considerations to political ones (eg. stopped using painkillers because showing pain was a bourgeois reaction.)

Effect of CR: barefoot doctors (cue: training, no. trained by 1973, work in rural areas and effectiveness)

"Barefoot doctors trained: trained in six-months of intensive, wholly-practical courses.

Over 1 million trained by 1973

Travelled rural areas giving often free treatment. Could not provide full national medical service required."

Lynch on effect of CR on young people's morale (cue: sent up the mountains, disillusioned)

“Sent up the mountains and down to the villages” -\> bitter experiences led youths disillusioned, difficult to pick up pieces and return to family life.

Effect of CR: reeducation (cue: laogai, avg no of prisoners in 1970s)

Laogai reeducation: dehumanise prisoners, most inhospitable places. Average number of prisoners in camps each year was 10 million

Lynch on effect of CR on economy (defecit increase)

PRC deficit increase from 1 billion to 2.25 billion

Lynch on effect of CR on economy (industrial production, rail freight 1966-1976)

Urban: Between 1966 and 1976 Industrial production fell 13.8% Rail freight declined from 555 million tonnes to 421 million tonnes

Industrial production fell 13.8%

Rail freight declined from 555 million tonnes to 421 million tonnes"

Lynch on effect of CR on education (1982 census: uni degree,% with schooling up to 12)

1982 census revealed that

No of people sent up the mountains, down to the villages

12 million sent “up to the mountains and down to the villages” by Mao.

Outline the nature of 7 May cadre schools (cue: dignity of labour)

Establishment of “7 May cadre schools” to teach “the dignity of labour” by learning to live like peasants to party officials and those suspected of lacking full commitment to the regime. Wang Hongwen- “we send (all the ones) who aren’t obedient there.” Essentially labour camps

Lynch assessment of CR effect on culture (cue: barbarism)

“Cultural barbarism” (Michael Lynch) A ‘cultural purification of the nation’, supervised by Jiang Qing: western music banned, traditional Chinese opera replaced by specially-commissioned contemporary work.

Yan Yan on effect of CR on culture (cue: trademark, no culture)

Describing profound damage done through artistic destruction- Yan Yan, poem “the cultural trademark of my generation is that we have no culture”

Account for "notable lessening in extremism" in CR post-1972 (cue: uncertainty, Lin Biao affair and GO4, Tu Deyong)

General uncertainty in the CCP about ailing Mao’s true intentions Lin Biao affair led to rethinking about how severe the policies should be. Once Lin came under Mao’s suspicion the Gang of Four swiftly distanced themselves from him. Acknowledgement that the critique of those like Tu Deyong, a Chengdu CCP member who published ‘Ten Indictments against CR’ were correct: “more than 90% of cadres…60% of the masses to mindless attacks”

Lin Biao affair led to rethinking about how severe the policies should be. Once Lin came under Mao’s suspicion the Gang of Four swiftly distanced themselves from him.

Acknowledgement that the critique of those like Tu Deyong, a Chengdu CCP member who published ‘Ten Indictments against CR’ were correct: “more than 90% of cadres…60% of the masses to mindless attacks”"

Zhou's role in Deng's return to CCP (cue: 1973)

Zhou was significant in uncovering the plot against Mao, worked to prevent the fracturing of the party during power struggles of 1960s. Invited Deng to return to the party in 1973- Zhou had great respect for Deng’s detailed knowledge of CCP workings. Regained position as party secretary in 1975

GO4 reaction to Deng's return (cue: moderate, Criticise Lin Biao campaign)

The Gang of Four “disturbed by the grip” the Moderates appeared to be regaining, feared their association with Lin Biao would harm their reputation intensified their “criticise Lin Biao and Confucius” campaign, turning it into a attack on the “pragmatist clique” of Zhou and Deng.

Account for GO4 weakness

"Did not have authority than the authority bestowed by Mao. Without his support, they were defenceless against those they’d persecuted

No military backing, no real support base outside Shanghai"

Contrast official vs unofficial responses to Zhou's death (cue: memorial, work unit commemoration, Tiananmen Square incident)

Official: Memorial service in April 1976 held in the Great Hall of the People. Work units to commemorate the death individually. Unofficial: 10s Ks mourners wreaths around Heroes’ Monument, defying order against public displays of mourning

Memorial service in April 1976 held in the Great Hall of the People. Work units to commemorate the death individually.

Unofficial:

10s Ks mourners wreaths around Heroes’ Monument, defying order against public displays of mourning"

Significance of Tiananmen Square Incident (1976) (cue: Vogel on public frustration, Roger Garside on Mandate)

"Speeches made at the monument that grew in boldness to attack the government for its corruption. Signalled growing public frustration towards the extremism that characterised the chaotic Cultural Revolution. (Ezra Vogel)

“The Mandate had been removed from Mao” - Roger Garside, British embassy official

“The Mandate had been removed from Mao” - Roger Garside, British embassy official"

CCP response to 1976 Tiananmen Square Incident (cue: Politburo tapes, PLA April 5, Deng accusation, Guangzhou)

"Politburo broadcast tapes alleging counter-revolutionaries “misusing the incident” and urging the masses to evacuate. PLA militia was brought in the disperse the remaining 1000 protesters- arresting 38 at 11pm, April 5

Politburo accused Deng of organising the protests, despite his absence from them- dismissed as Party secretary, moved to Guangzhou: showed internal power struggles.

Politburo accused Deng of organising the protests, despite his absence from them- dismissed as Party secretary, moved to Guangzhou: showed internal power struggles."

Changing political power of Deng (cue: 1967-1979, 1973 Deputy, 1975 Central Committee + Mao's concerns, 1976 Mao's death, 1978 outmaneouvre)

" 1967-1969: Along with Liu Shaoqi, criticised for revisionism and dismissed from his official posts. Disappeared from publicview

1973: Mao reinstated Deng as deputy premier at Premier Zhou’s behest

1975: chairman of CCP Central Committee, Politburo and chief of general staff. Effectively head of government in the months preceding Zhou’s death, considered his likely successor.

Mao concerned that Deng valued production more than class struggle, and may reverse Mao’s policies

Mao’s death in September 1976 and Gang of Four’s fall -> Deng Xiaoping rehabilitated with Hua’s assent

End of 1978: Den’s experience and supporters in the army and party allow Deng to oust Hua from the leadership.

1973: Mao reinstated Deng as deputy premier at Premier Zhou’s behest

1975: chairman of CCP Central Committee, Politburo and chief of general staff. Effectively head of government in the months preceding Zhou’s death, considered his likely successor.

Mao concerned that Deng valued production more than class struggle, and may reverse Mao’s policies

Mao’s death in September 1976 and Gang of Four’s fall -\> Deng Xiaoping rehabilitated with Hua’s assent

End of 1978: Den’s experience and supporters in the army and party allow Deng to oust Hua from the leadership."

Vogel on how death of Mao caused political uncertainty (cue: power struggle)

"More uncertainty: worries about the future of the country- “government fall apart and force the nation into civil war” (Ezra Vogel)

Power struggle between moderate Hua, Gang of Four and pragmatist Deng becomes public: Hua delivering main funeral eulogy signalled his precedence over Jiang.

Power struggle between moderate Hua, Gang of Four and pragmatist Deng becomes public: Hua delivering main funeral eulogy signalled his precedence over Jiang."

Hua's role in GO4 arrest (cue: Oct 4 Guangming Daily article, Oct 6 arrest in Politburo Standing Committee, Oct 7 arrest)

"Oct 4: Guangming Daily features article written by “Liang Xiao” (Peking and Tsinghua University radicals) declaring that “any revisionists (ie. Hua) who dares to misrepresent Chairman Mao’s guidelines” will not come to a good end (Vogel)

Oct 6: Meeting of Politburo Standing Committee (Hua, Ye, Wang Hongwen, Zhang Chunqiao)

Wang Hongwhen, Zhang Chunqiao, Yao Wenyuan arrested separately upon arrival.

Group of special forces arrive at Jiang Qing’s residence, announced she was being held for “special examination.”

Special teams sent to Xinhua and People’s Daily to silence Gang of Four supporters

Oct 7: supporters, including Mao Yuanxin, arrested.

Oct 6: Meeting of Politburo Standing Committee (Hua, Ye, Wang Hongwen, Zhang Chunqiao)

Wang Hongwhen, Zhang Chunqiao, Yao Wenyuan arrested separately upon arrival.

Group of special forces arrive at Jiang Qing’s residence, announced she was being held for “special examination.”

Special teams sent to Xinhua and People’s Daily to silence Gang of Four supporters

Oct 7: supporters, including Mao Yuanxin, arrested."

Pros and cons of Hua as leader (cue: trust, Vogel "charisma", media promotion, two whatevers)

"☑️Mao’s trust

❌Vogel: “no spark of unusual intellect or charisma”

❌Media promotion in 1976-7 failed, party leaders reluctant for more individual worship

Two whatevers: whatever policies Mao supported, whatever instructions he gave should still be followed

❌Vogel: “no spark of unusual intellect or charisma”

❌Media promotion in 1976-7 failed, party leaders reluctant for more individual worship

Two whatevers: whatever policies Mao supported, whatever instructions he gave should still be followed."

Role of leadership in Deng's return of power + confirmation as leader (cue: Marshall Ye Jianying, 1978 plenum, people's political consultative conf)

Marshall Ye Jianying was the chief spokesman for the regional party leaders who demanded that Deng’s value be recognised by his readmittance. Confirmed as leader when appointed chairman of People’s Political Consultative Conference (PPCC) [econ reform organ] @ 3rd Plenum 1978

Nature of Deng's reform (cue: Lynch on GLF policy, drip effect, Central Committee 1981 resolution)

"Regarded the Great Leap Forward policies as “basically wrong” (Lynch), leading to stagnation and was intent to remove the remnants of Maoist that barred the path to economic progress.

“Drip effect” (letting Mao’s reputation erode) to avoid domestic disruption

Eg. CCP Central Committee 1981 resolution: Mao’s policies “70% right, 30% correct”

“Drip effect” (letting Mao’s reputation erode) to avoid domestic disruption

Eg. CCP Central Committee 1981 resolution: Mao’s policies “70% right, 30% correct”"

Deng modernisation of agriculture (cue: xiang, household responsibility system, surplus)

Agriculture: commune abandoned and replaced by xiang. Required to meet food output quotas, but instead of collective units, individual peasant families would contribute their share under a “household responsibility system.” They were able to sell any surplus for profit

Grain production increase (1978-1989)

Grain production from 304.8 million (1978) to 407.8 million tonnes (1989)

1989 per capita income (x higher than 1980)

1989: $770 pcap income (14x higher than1980)

Shortcoming of agricultural reform (cue: 15 year lease, long-term growth)

However, majority of peasants held their farms on 15-year leases, with the land supposed to revert back to the state after. Doubts about this security deter peasants from investing in long-term growth.

Name of 4 SEZs. Describe their nature

SEZs: Shantou, Xiamen, Zhuhai, Shenzhen. Given regional autonomy and special tax concessions.

Export 1978-1989, foreign investment

1978- 1989: Export: 10 bil (1978) -\> 25bil (1985)., foreign investment quadrupled.

Effect of Deng reform on state-owned enterprises (cues: subsidies, labour contract scheme compromise 1986, unemployment insurance and effectiveness 1989)

"end of state control meant end of state subsidies, and workers now paid according to performance. Met strong resistance from the state-owned enterprises, delaying the reforms.

Concessions in the form of labour-contract scheme modified and implemented 1986 (agreement offering higher wages for increased productivity, but only for new workers). Unemployment insurance, but by 1989 covered only ⅕ of 80 million SOE employees

Concessions in the form of labour-contract scheme modified and implemented 1986 (agreement offering higher wages for increased productivity, but only for new workers). Unemployment insurance, but by 1989 covered only ⅕ of 80 million SOE employees"

Deng's modernisation and military (cue: PLA reduction by 1990)

Cut military expenditure to give priority to infrastructure and industry: by 1990 PLA reduced by 1 million to 3.5 million, with laid off soldiers absorbed to People’s Armed Forces (civilian police force, but essentially PLA wing)

Deng's modernisation and education (cue: no of technical students trained)

train a million technical students to manage and administer the new economy, schemes to send thousands of Chinese students to study abroad, to help develop the Special Economic Zones (SEZs)

Demand for reform- corruption (cue: embezzlement, Heilongjiang fuel and power 1970s)

"Anger at government corruption: officials syphoning off funds, flaunting better conditions (eg. clothes)

Leading CCP members in Heilongjiang indicted in late 1970s for diverting public money for state-owned fuel and power company

Leading CCP members in Heilongjiang indicted in late 1970s for diverting public money for state-owned fuel and power company"