4. Mao and China
Unit 1: Emergence of an Authoritarian Regime in China
Overview:
• 100 years of humiliation: politically unstable, dominated by foreign powers, lack of
unity
• 1912: ineffective republic = warlord era (1916-1928)
• Eventually, the Guomindang led by Chiang Kai-Shek established a national government
in Nanjing with him as president
• 1921: CCP established, Mao not important yet
• Defending themselves from the GMD, the communists were forced to set up base areas
and form a Red Army at Jiangxi → defined Mao’s ideology
• Long March (1934-35): Communists established a new base at Yan’an where Mao
became undisputed leader
• Second Sino-Japanese War (1937-45): CCP and GMD reunited and the CCP grew
• Civil War after Japan’s defeat saw the emergence of a communist state with Mao as ruler
over China.
4.1 How did political conditions in China in the early 20th century contribute to the
emergence of a Communist state?
Hundred years of humiliation following China’s defeat in the two Opium Wars and the 1st
Sino-Japanese war. Industrialised nations wanted to profit from China dividing the country
into ‘spheres of influence’ → resentment = Boxer Rebellion (1898-1901)
Early 20th century: Chinese peasants struggling to survive due to heavy taxes, inflation, hostility
towards dynasty to bring about effective reform, resentfulness towards foreigners.
1911: uprising bringing together peasants townspeople and students led by Sun Yat Sen
→ Most of China swept up = proclamation of Chinese republic in 1912 (end to Qing
Dynasty which had ruled since 1644)
Sun resigned at the favour of Yuan Shikai and became leader of the nationalist Guomindang
in 1912.
Yuan was proven ineffective and after his death many of his former subordinates took the
opportunity to seize land and ignored the authority of the republic = warlord era
The end of WWI in Europe saw increased Chinese humiliation with Former German
concessions in China given to the Japanese.
1925: Chiang Kai-Shek took over the GMD and in 1926 he launched a campaign against the
warlords supported by the communists such as Mao Zedong.
After having taken Shanghai, however, the GMD turned against the communists killing
thousands. = alliance broke up.
1928: warlords were defeated and a central government was set up at Nanjing with Kai-Shek as
its leader. Even though, the new government brought some stability, the Japanese remained in
Manchuria setting up a puppet administration.
4.2 How did Mao Zedong achieve leadership of the Chinese Communist party?
, Mao became a Marxists studying in the university of Beijing. He came to believe that violence
was the only way to achieve change in China. He collaborated with other communists organising
strikes and protest movements. The Russian Comintern encouraged the formation of a
Chinese Communist Party in 1921. Mao was one of the twelve delegates.
AT order of Comintern, the CCP first cooperated with the GMD in order to drive out the
‘imperialists’ from China bringing about Chinese unity. Mao worked as a political organiser and
was elected to the Central Committee of the CCP and the GMD in 1924.
After the alliance broke up, Mao established his own brand of communism in the rural areas
believing that if China was to be turned Communist, it had to be established among peasants.
Mao attempted his first peasant revolt in 1927, which failed heavily. He went on to lead his
followers to a more secure base in Jinggangshan where he formed the communist Red Army.
Mao built up a strong force by providing basic provisions and treating everyone equally. Unlike
the GMD the force was to protect the peasants. By 1928, it consisted of 12’000 men.
AS real armaments weren’t really available, the force developed guerrilla tactics.
In 1931, Mao’s band established a base in the Jiangxi province setting up the Jiangxi Soviet.
= ‘Chinese Soviet Republic’ (1 Million people)
Mao became CCP party secretary and encouraged poorer peasants to kill their richer peasant
neighbours and landlords. Those disagreeing with his views were killed.
The Long March:
After three different campaigns, Chiang Kai-Shek still failed to defeat the Red Army. However,
they surrounded Mao’s forces in an attempt to starve them into surrender. In 1934, the main
body of the Red Army broke through and began its long march. They walked 13’000km and
finally arrived at Shaanxi.
The Yan’an Soviet:
The surviving marchers settled and were won over by land redistribution, rent control,
infrastructure being built and campaign such as for the improvement of literacy.
Mao and the communist leadership undertook all political decisions while the peasants could
participate in committees and mass meetings which helped to increase the number of military
recruits to fight the Japanese.
During that time, Mao’s achieved to impose his personal authority. He removed any people
suspected of disloyalty and forced people to confess to their crimes and share their doubts and
secrets which could always end in punishment. Also, no outside press was allowed as well as no
connection with the outside world.
4.3 How did the aims and ideology of the CCP develop under Mao?
Mao’s ideology was the product of his own peasant background. He was introduced to Marxism
at university and developed his belief that the masses could eventually transform China. He
joined the Central Committee in 1923. What differentiated him from the other ‘mainstream
communists’ was his concern towards the Chinese peasantry. Other communists focussed on the
cities, while he saw the real force for the revolution with the peasants. Believing in a vigorous
organisation of the peasantry and a radical land policy were needed he worked in the GMD
Peasant Movement Training Institute imposing his own communist ideology.
Mao’s adaptation of Leninism-Marxism won support as it seemed to work.
→ MAO`s IDEOLOGY IN BOOK! P. 139
• Marxism: class struggle → bourgeoise and landowners overthrown = dictatorship of the
proletariat with collective ownership and the promotion of communist revolution
Specific Chinese Elements:
Unit 1: Emergence of an Authoritarian Regime in China
Overview:
• 100 years of humiliation: politically unstable, dominated by foreign powers, lack of
unity
• 1912: ineffective republic = warlord era (1916-1928)
• Eventually, the Guomindang led by Chiang Kai-Shek established a national government
in Nanjing with him as president
• 1921: CCP established, Mao not important yet
• Defending themselves from the GMD, the communists were forced to set up base areas
and form a Red Army at Jiangxi → defined Mao’s ideology
• Long March (1934-35): Communists established a new base at Yan’an where Mao
became undisputed leader
• Second Sino-Japanese War (1937-45): CCP and GMD reunited and the CCP grew
• Civil War after Japan’s defeat saw the emergence of a communist state with Mao as ruler
over China.
4.1 How did political conditions in China in the early 20th century contribute to the
emergence of a Communist state?
Hundred years of humiliation following China’s defeat in the two Opium Wars and the 1st
Sino-Japanese war. Industrialised nations wanted to profit from China dividing the country
into ‘spheres of influence’ → resentment = Boxer Rebellion (1898-1901)
Early 20th century: Chinese peasants struggling to survive due to heavy taxes, inflation, hostility
towards dynasty to bring about effective reform, resentfulness towards foreigners.
1911: uprising bringing together peasants townspeople and students led by Sun Yat Sen
→ Most of China swept up = proclamation of Chinese republic in 1912 (end to Qing
Dynasty which had ruled since 1644)
Sun resigned at the favour of Yuan Shikai and became leader of the nationalist Guomindang
in 1912.
Yuan was proven ineffective and after his death many of his former subordinates took the
opportunity to seize land and ignored the authority of the republic = warlord era
The end of WWI in Europe saw increased Chinese humiliation with Former German
concessions in China given to the Japanese.
1925: Chiang Kai-Shek took over the GMD and in 1926 he launched a campaign against the
warlords supported by the communists such as Mao Zedong.
After having taken Shanghai, however, the GMD turned against the communists killing
thousands. = alliance broke up.
1928: warlords were defeated and a central government was set up at Nanjing with Kai-Shek as
its leader. Even though, the new government brought some stability, the Japanese remained in
Manchuria setting up a puppet administration.
4.2 How did Mao Zedong achieve leadership of the Chinese Communist party?
, Mao became a Marxists studying in the university of Beijing. He came to believe that violence
was the only way to achieve change in China. He collaborated with other communists organising
strikes and protest movements. The Russian Comintern encouraged the formation of a
Chinese Communist Party in 1921. Mao was one of the twelve delegates.
AT order of Comintern, the CCP first cooperated with the GMD in order to drive out the
‘imperialists’ from China bringing about Chinese unity. Mao worked as a political organiser and
was elected to the Central Committee of the CCP and the GMD in 1924.
After the alliance broke up, Mao established his own brand of communism in the rural areas
believing that if China was to be turned Communist, it had to be established among peasants.
Mao attempted his first peasant revolt in 1927, which failed heavily. He went on to lead his
followers to a more secure base in Jinggangshan where he formed the communist Red Army.
Mao built up a strong force by providing basic provisions and treating everyone equally. Unlike
the GMD the force was to protect the peasants. By 1928, it consisted of 12’000 men.
AS real armaments weren’t really available, the force developed guerrilla tactics.
In 1931, Mao’s band established a base in the Jiangxi province setting up the Jiangxi Soviet.
= ‘Chinese Soviet Republic’ (1 Million people)
Mao became CCP party secretary and encouraged poorer peasants to kill their richer peasant
neighbours and landlords. Those disagreeing with his views were killed.
The Long March:
After three different campaigns, Chiang Kai-Shek still failed to defeat the Red Army. However,
they surrounded Mao’s forces in an attempt to starve them into surrender. In 1934, the main
body of the Red Army broke through and began its long march. They walked 13’000km and
finally arrived at Shaanxi.
The Yan’an Soviet:
The surviving marchers settled and were won over by land redistribution, rent control,
infrastructure being built and campaign such as for the improvement of literacy.
Mao and the communist leadership undertook all political decisions while the peasants could
participate in committees and mass meetings which helped to increase the number of military
recruits to fight the Japanese.
During that time, Mao’s achieved to impose his personal authority. He removed any people
suspected of disloyalty and forced people to confess to their crimes and share their doubts and
secrets which could always end in punishment. Also, no outside press was allowed as well as no
connection with the outside world.
4.3 How did the aims and ideology of the CCP develop under Mao?
Mao’s ideology was the product of his own peasant background. He was introduced to Marxism
at university and developed his belief that the masses could eventually transform China. He
joined the Central Committee in 1923. What differentiated him from the other ‘mainstream
communists’ was his concern towards the Chinese peasantry. Other communists focussed on the
cities, while he saw the real force for the revolution with the peasants. Believing in a vigorous
organisation of the peasantry and a radical land policy were needed he worked in the GMD
Peasant Movement Training Institute imposing his own communist ideology.
Mao’s adaptation of Leninism-Marxism won support as it seemed to work.
→ MAO`s IDEOLOGY IN BOOK! P. 139
• Marxism: class struggle → bourgeoise and landowners overthrown = dictatorship of the
proletariat with collective ownership and the promotion of communist revolution
Specific Chinese Elements:
