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Chinese Revolution in 1949
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Overview of Chinese Revolution of 1949. Examines role of Chinese Communist Party, its leadership and goals.... More...
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Paper Abstract:
Overview of Chinese Revolution of 1949. Examines role of Chinese Communist Party, its leadership and goals.
Paper Introduction:
The Chinese Revolution in 1949 altered the structure of Chinese society both in the immediate case and in the long term. The long term change included modernization of the economy and a shift. The effort to change Chinese society began before the Revolution, with the efforts of the Communists first to attract people to their cause and second to make that cause understandable as a force which would empower the people and lead them to revolution. After the Revolution, efforts at changing society were undertaken in a more methodical and all-inclusive manner. Many traditional institutions were either dismantled, prohibited, or downgraded in the effort to modernize and to bring about a new political and social attitude on the part of the people. These efforts had varying results and were of varying effectiveness. Some traditional institutions persisted in spite of Communist
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This was an essential element in economic development, because theold regime of landowners had deliberately blocked industrialization, seeingit as a drain on their manpower resources and a way of freeing thepeasants. Chinese politics ismulti-dimensional and from the first involved such dimensions as leadershipconflict, policy conflict, the evolution of political institutions,shifting relations between state and society, and ideological debate. Kaplan, Sobin, and Service further note the success of this effort:"Thus within three years of establishing nationwide control, the new regimehad set China on a new course. New York: St. China from the 1911 Revolution to Liberation. In theearly 195 s the state created functional ministrires coordinated by a StateAdministrative Council and by the consolidation of the Party bureaucracy.This "united front" was given substantive form in the Chinese People'sPolitical Consultative Conference, and this served as a quasi-legislativeand representative body. During the next several years, there were many campaigns to changesociety, and the CCP and its related organizations managed to make somechanges quickly while others took a good deal of time. 7 ). The CCP made a number of innovations that laid thebasis for future changes: "First was the restoration of unity and order.In the military sphere, this meant ridding the landscape of private armiesand confiscating private supplies of weapons. There was also an effort at change in the urban regions, whichhad their own problems of recovery. Martin's Press. Itwas after years of political and military struggle that the Communists cameto power. It was a complete change from the oldregime. The Chinese leadership now also decided to defend the revolutionoutside the nation's borders as well, and this was in sharp contrast to theweak resistance the former regime had shown in previous eras to gun-boatdiplomacy and full-scale invasion alike.. 4 3). The CCP looked both to its ownpast and to the example of the Soviet Union for ideas as to how to proceed. Landlord power was broken with the land reformeffort. The Making of the Modern World. The CCP instituted changes in several dimensions. A single political party was now in power, and this fact wasremarkable in itself. The long termchange included modernization of the economy and a shift. The CCP believed that a strong state couldusher in strong economic development, and this approach was executed.China has followed different models of development during the history ofthe present system in trying to cope with the problems they encountered:"The stated goal of each strategy has been socialist development and theultimate transition to communism" (Strayer: p. Encyclopedia of China Today. China's political system is a closed system, and history itselfis shaped by official doctrine and decision-making. It is important to note that the desire to change Chinese society wasnot solely on the Communist Party's alone. Some traditional institutions persisted in spite ofCommunist efforts to stamp them out, while other areas of the society werechanged completely. Unhealthy tiesbetween private businessmen and Party and government officials wereeliminated by a Three-Anti Campaign (corruption, waste, and bureaucracy)and by the Five-Anti Campaign (bribery, theft of state property, taxevasion, theft of economic secrets, and embezzlement in carrying outgovernment contracts). The regime faced certain fundamental needs in 1949 that helpeddetermine what order would be taken in making changes in Chinese society.The most pressing need was for economic development and particularlyindustrialization. The legacy of the domination of theeconomic sphere by the former regime had done nothing to alleviate problemsin the cities either. New York: Pantheon books, 1977.Kaplan, Fredric M., Sobin, Julian M., and Service, John S. Land reform wasgiven priority, as might be expected from a regime that had come to powerwith the particular support of the peasants. There was a certain cost in thiseffort that may have delayed economic reconstruction, but the Chinese sawit as an important effort. The significance of China'sland reform cannot be overstated. The Chinese Revolution in 1949 altered the structure of Chinesesociety both in the immediate case and in the long term. 7 ). After the Revolution, efforts at changing society wereundertaken in a more methodical and all-inclusive manner. The CCP introduced a period of mixed ownership in aneffort to make the change as rapid and complete as possible. Indeed, the regime always tried to enlist the support of thevarious groups in Chinese society. 347-348). The strategy undertaken was known as "self-reliance" asthe industrial development, which has been substantial since 1949, wasfinanced by China herself. It was in fact one of the primary reasons for theRevolution itself. ReferencesChesneaux, Jean, Le Barbier, Francoise, and Bergere, Marie-Claire. In keeping with the belief that a strong government would mean astrong economy, the CCP fashioned new political institutions that helpedreshape all of Chinese society. An unprecedentedly large and powerfulpolitical machine had ended decades of disunity and put a large dent inseveral centuries-old social customs and institutions" (p. The success of the party cameabout because it joined forces with movements outside it that had similargoals, notably the peasant movement, the national movement, the workers'movement, and the student movement. 7 ). This was a major effort given that thecountry had over 5 million people in it. New York: Harper & Row, 198 .Strayer, Robert W. Many traditionalinstitutions were either dismantled, prohibited, or downgraded in theeffort to modernize and to bring about a new political and social attitudeon the part of the people. The campaign again mobilized support from thecountry. In the economic sphere,measures were taken to bring the hyperinflation of the late Nationalist eraunder control and stabilize credit and commodity markets" (p. The effortwas quite successful, and by 1952 the economy was rebounding to prewarlevels (4 4-4 5). Certain traditionalpractices were eliminated by law, such as the excessive domination of menover women which was outlawed in a new marriage law. These efforts had varying results and were ofvarying effectiveness. Chinese politics as instituted in 1949 had certain goals, and theissue is quite complex. The nature of the massive changes wrought inChinese society might be argued as to their value, but there can be littledoubt that the changes took place, that they were the direct result of theRevolution, and that they were far-reaching. From their own past they took the idea of the "united front," or thecooptation of supportive non-Party groups and individuals, and thetechnique of campaigns to mobilize the masses for social change. Kaplan, Sobin, and Service (198 ) note that partof the complexity in sorting out what changes were made and why stems fromthe fact that key decisions were and are made in secret by a small numberof people. Whatemerged was a new, mass politics, but as Kaplan, Sobin, and Service state,this was only the beginning: "Social transformation had yet to beaccomplished in other areas, and the grand task of economic development hadbarely begun" (p. The effort tochange Chinese society began before the Revolution, with the efforts of theCommunists first to attract people to their cause and second to make thatcause understandable as a force which would empower the people and leadthem to revolution. These different sectors in societyalso wanted change in society and were working to that end right up to andthrough the Revolution (Chesneaux, Le Barbier, and Bergere, 1977: pp. They certainly had much to dowith the economic development that has taken place, and their consequecnesare still felt in China today.
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