Download China: Post-Mao

Background to Deng Xiao Ping
• Participated in the Long March with Mao
• Views on economics differed from Mao
– Mao = egalitarian, Deng = focused on economic
development
• Survives all of Mao’s purges
– Deng utilized free market to revive the economy from
GLF
• 1978 becomes the Chairman of the PLA
(People’s Liberation Army) – key to controlling
China
– He is 74 years old at the time!!!
Deng Xiao Ping’s Ideologies
(“De-Maoization”)
• Against the Cultural Revolution – 1979
declared a major setback
• Four Modernizations: industry, agriculture,
science and technology, and national
defence
• Deng’s policies were more practical and
responsive to the economic times – willing
to alter communist ideologies for what’s
best for the country
• Unwilling to release control over the
people
Deng Xiao Ping’s Successes
Education:
• Tries to reverse the “uneducation” of the
Cultural Revolution
– encourages studying abroad
– intellectuals sent to the farms during the Cultural
Revolution, Hundred Flowers and Great Leap
Forward were allowed to reunite with their families
• Promotes learning in universities and scientific
research
*studied in France in his 20s
Deng Xiao Ping’s Successes
Economics
• Farmers were allowed to produce more food on
their own initiative
• Private ownership is allowed
• Borrowed from foreign states to boost
infrastructure (failure?)
• 1979 Special Economic Zones instead of
borrowing money
– First four cities Shenzen, Zhuhai, Shantou, Xiamen
near HK and Taiwan were given administrative
independence and legal freedom to conduct foreign
trade
Special Economic Zones
• Special tax incentive for foreign
investment in the SEZs
• Greater independence is provided for
International trade activities
• Products are primarily export oriented
• Market driven economic activity
• Attracts and utilizes foreign capital
• Means to China’s booming manufacturing
industry flowing through these zones
Deng Xiao Ping’s Successes
• Tenure was abolished and many made
way for more qualified people to take
government positions
• 1984 revives China to a point that it is self
sufficient on food
• 1984 successful negotiation to return
Hong Kong to the Chinese
• Mao re-unified China, Deng pushed its
economy forward
Tiananmen Square Massacre 1989
• Around 100,000 students gathered in China’s
Tiananmen Square to protest for democratic
reforms on June 4, 1989.
• The government elected to use force in stopping
the protests.
• Difficult to know what truly happened due to
censorship.
• Assault weapons, tanks and heavy infantry used
against a civilian population.
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SACHKW4o1E
Tiananmen Square Protests: 1989
Tiananmen Square Massacre
• Around 100,000 students gathered in China’s
Tiananmen Square to protest for democratic
reforms on June 4, 1989.
• The government elected to use force in stopping
the protests.
• Difficult to know what truly happened due to
censorship.
• Assault weapons, tanks and heavy infantry used
against a civilian population.
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SACHKW4o1E
China today
• Considered Communist but acts Capitalist
– “Free” market (still subject to what the
government thinks is best for the country)
• Government structure is still communist
and there is only one party
• No cult dictatorship like Mao
• 2007 second largest GDP in the world
(next to US)