test 3

A separate section for lecture presentations related to the third test was created, marking the continuity of course content.
The date for the test is December 12, as stated in the syllabus by the registrar.

Today's class will cover the People's Republic of China (PRC) under Mao Zedong.
Taiwan will also be discussed due to its ambiguous identity and geopolitical status.
The U.S. hesitates to recognize Taiwan as an independent nation
- PRC claims Taiwan as a renegade province, suggesting its rightful place is with mainland China.
The discussion of Taiwan is historically connected to the Cultural Revolution, which was ongoing at Mao's death in 1976.

Mao Zedong was the founder and authoritarian leader of the PRC from its establishment in 1949 until his death in 1976.
Current leadership in PRC, notably under Xi Jinping, displays some authoritarian traits reminiscent of Mao.

Mao Zedong led the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) in establishing the PRC after defeating the Kuomintang, a nationalist party led by authoritarian military leader Chiang Kai-shek.
The civil war between CCP and Kuomintang began in 1927 and escalated until the end of World War II.
The Nationalists were later exiled to Taiwan, which remains a flashpoint in geopolitical tensions today.
Conflicts between PRC and Taiwan continue, with China viewing Taiwan as a key area of contention.

Mao launched a destructive campaign known as the Cultural Revolution to eliminate criticism of his leadership.
This period ended only with Mao's death in 1976.

Overview of Karl Marx, a 19th-century German philosopher who examined history, economics, and culture.
Marx proposed that the material conditions of life (economics and production) shape human consciousness and societal structures.
He defined a materialist philosophy, analyzing how tangible material conditions influence societal features such as law, culture, and religion:
- Oppressors control wealth and resources while the majority works but does not benefit from their labors.

Marx believed that societies would evolve through various stages, ultimately leading to a revolution by the oppressed class against the elite who control wealth.
He predicted a crisis wherein wealth would concentrate in fewer hands, prompting a revolutionary uprising.
The revolution aims to abolish privatization of property and promote communal ownership of production.

Lenin adapted Marxism to the 20th century, suggesting that a dedicated leadership could push for revolution without a broad worker base being fully aware or prepared for it.
His successful seizure of power in Russia established a communist dictatorship that diverged from Marx's vision of a proletariat-led revolution.

Recognizing the rural peasantry in China as the revolutionary class instead of the urban industrial workers.
Mao proposed that it would be the peasantry that would lead the revolution for a communist government in China.

The long-standing civil conflict between the Kuomintang and the CCP saw Mao Zedong rise to prominence within the Red Army, especially noted during the Long March (1934).
The Long March involved a strategic retreat covering over 8,000 miles over 370 days while facing Kuomintang opposition.
This civil struggle ceased briefly when Japan invaded China, compelling the Nationalists and Communists to ally against a common enemy.
After WWII, the civil war resumed and culminated in 1949, with Mao assuming control, establishing the PRC, and initiating communist rule.

The Nationalist government, led by Chiang Kai-shek, established in Taiwan is recognized as the Republic of China (ROC).
Taiwan remains a point of contention as it claims legitimacy as the government of all China, while PRC views it as an illegitimate rogue state.
The U.S. maintains a policy of ambiguity towards Taiwan, neither officially recognizing it as independent nor fully aligning with PRC's claims.

In 1954 and 1958, near-conflicts erupted concerning the smaller islands of Kinmen and Matsu, controlled by Taiwan but claimed by China.
The U.S. signed a mutual defense treaty with Taiwan during this era, asserting commitment to Taiwan’s defense, although not explicitly communicating military intervention promises.

Chinese military drills near Taiwan have escalated, with specific tensions increasing recently.
The potential for a Chinese invasion of Taiwan remains a concern, especially in light of U.S.-China relations and global geopolitical contexts, including the situation in Ukraine.

The initial Five-Year Plan under Mao was introduced to transition China's economy post-civil war, focusing on agricultural transformation.
The Great Leap Forward was an ambitious but ultimately disastrous campaign aimed at rapidly industrializing and collectivizing agriculture; resulted in famine and millions of deaths.
The Cultural Revolution stemmed from failures in economic policies and sought to re-establish Mao’s authority and suppress dissent.

Land reform aimed at redistributing land from elite warlords to millions of peasant farmers.
Legal reforms improved women’s rights, banned arranged marriages, and established equal rights in marriage.
Literacy campaigns were enacted to improve education.

Crises in relations between China and the Soviet Union escalated during Mao's governance as ideological tensions surfaced regarding the leadership and direction of communism.
Mao criticized Khrushchev’s approach as a revisionist deviation and sought to establish China's independent communist path, diverging from Soviet influences.