AFTER MAO. POWER STRUGGLE Hua Guofeng succeeds Mao Hua Guofeng succeeds Mao Mao’s nominee –...

AFTER MAOAFTER MAO

POWER STRUGGLEPOWER STRUGGLE

Hua Guofeng succeeds MaoHua Guofeng succeeds Mao Mao’s nominee – “with you in charge I Mao’s nominee – “with you in charge I

am at ease”am at ease” Provincial; little national experienceProvincial; little national experience Arrests Gang of Four; apparently Arrests Gang of Four; apparently

allying with right against leftallying with right against left Arrests carried out by commander of Arrests carried out by commander of

Mao’s PLA bodyguard – Wang Mao’s PLA bodyguard – Wang DongxingDongxing


Gang of Four had been accused of Gang of Four had been accused of preparing couppreparing coup

Circumstantial evidence shows they Circumstantial evidence shows they were desperate about their position were desperate about their position following Mao’s deathfollowing Mao’s death

Hua had in fact made a choice Hua had in fact made a choice between allying with Gang of Four, between allying with Gang of Four, or allying with Party veteransor allying with Party veterans


Hua’s own power soon came to be Hua’s own power soon came to be gradually eroded as he failed to gradually eroded as he failed to establish his authorityestablish his authority

The rightists, and especially Deng The rightists, and especially Deng Xiaoping, gradually re-emerged to Xiaoping, gradually re-emerged to take over.take over.

DENG’S DENG’S REHABILITATIONREHABILITATION

Protected by a PLA ally in the southProtected by a PLA ally in the south By July 1977 appointed one of five By July 1977 appointed one of five

party vice-chairmenparty vice-chairmen December 1978 – key meeting – December 1978 – key meeting –

Third Plenum of the Central Third Plenum of the Central CommitteeCommittee

Deng and the rightists establish Deng and the rightists establish effective controleffective control


Surviving former associates of Liu Surviving former associates of Liu Shaoqi were rehabilitated, re-taking Shaoqi were rehabilitated, re-taking officeoffice

Liu himself rehabilitated laterLiu himself rehabilitated later Tiananmen demonstration at Zhou Tiananmen demonstration at Zhou

Enlai’s memorial in 1976 now declared Enlai’s memorial in 1976 now declared a justified revolutionary acta justified revolutionary act

Left-wingers resigned – notably Wang Left-wingers resigned – notably Wang Dongxin, and Mayor of Beijing Wu DeDongxin, and Mayor of Beijing Wu De


Increasing view of Mao’s fallibility – a Increasing view of Mao’s fallibility – a speech of Mao’s in which he confessed speech of Mao’s in which he confessed errors over GLF was publishederrors over GLF was published

This increasingly undermined Hua’s positionThis increasingly undermined Hua’s position Key Deng allies secured important positions Key Deng allies secured important positions

following Third Plenumfollowing Third Plenum Hu Yaobang (head of CCP 1981); Zhao Hu Yaobang (head of CCP 1981); Zhao

Ziyang (premier 1980).Ziyang (premier 1980). Deng himself became Chairman of CCP’s Deng himself became Chairman of CCP’s

Military Affairs Commission in June 1981 – Military Affairs Commission in June 1981 – Hua effectively removed from all his offices.Hua effectively removed from all his offices.


However, Deng was not in complete However, Deng was not in complete position of authority – collective position of authority – collective leadership ensured balance between leadership ensured balance between Deng and his allies, and more Deng and his allies, and more conservative elementsconservative elements

Conservatives included Chen Yun Conservatives included Chen Yun (committed to central planning); and Hu (committed to central planning); and Hu Qiaomu (deplored liberalisation)Qiaomu (deplored liberalisation)

Deng needed to argue his case for new Deng needed to argue his case for new policies step by steppolicies step by step


Gang of Four went on trial winter 1980-81Gang of Four went on trial winter 1980-81 Trial intended to discredit their left-wing Trial intended to discredit their left-wing

policies and show China’s return to lawpolicies and show China’s return to law Prison sentences and suspended death Prison sentences and suspended death

sentences givensentences given Jiang Qing committed suicide 1991Jiang Qing committed suicide 1991 Rehabilitation of those purged in the Rehabilitation of those purged in the

Cultural Revolution, and in the 1957 Anti-Cultural Revolution, and in the 1957 Anti-Rightist campaign, showed the CCP’s new Rightist campaign, showed the CCP’s new pathpath

DENG’S DENG’S REFORMSREFORMS

Economic MeasuresEconomic Measures

Agriculture – communes replaced by Agriculture – communes replaced by peasant contract – the ‘household peasant contract – the ‘household responsibility system’.responsibility system’.

State industry reformedState industry reformed Special Economic Zones establishedSpecial Economic Zones established

Household ResponsibilityHousehold Responsibility Land was returned to the peasantryLand was returned to the peasantry Contracts made with individual householdsContracts made with individual households Taxes to be paid, and an agreed amount of Taxes to be paid, and an agreed amount of

grain sold to the stategrain sold to the state Beyond this, households could keep what Beyond this, households could keep what

they earnedthey earned Successful peasant farmers became quite Successful peasant farmers became quite

prosperousprosperous Agricultural production increased Agricultural production increased

spectacularlyspectacularly

State IndustryState Industry

Similar to process in countrysideSimilar to process in countryside In state owned factories (State In state owned factories (State

Owned Enterprises), responsibility Owned Enterprises), responsibility was devolved to factory manager – was devolved to factory manager – profit motive designed to provide profit motive designed to provide incentiveincentive

Small scale private enterprise was Small scale private enterprise was encouragedencouraged

Special Economic ZonesSpecial Economic Zones

Essentially capitalist enclaves within Essentially capitalist enclaves within socialist Chinasocialist China

Deng wanted to bring Western Deng wanted to bring Western knowledge and capital back to Chinaknowledge and capital back to China

The designated SEZs were areas The designated SEZs were areas where western know-how and where western know-how and capitalist enterprise could developcapitalist enterprise could develop

One of them was Shenzhen, just One of them was Shenzhen, just across the frontier of Hong Kongacross the frontier of Hong Kong

Problems of ReformProblems of Reform

Free-enterprise agriculture focused Free-enterprise agriculture focused production on profit crops, to the production on profit crops, to the neglect of grainneglect of grain

China’s growing population created China’s growing population created greater pressure on need for graingreater pressure on need for grain

Significant growth in urban population Significant growth in urban population – result of better productivity (and thus – result of better productivity (and thus fewer labourers required) on the landfewer labourers required) on the land

Under-employment and Under-employment and unemployment, and housing shortagesunemployment, and housing shortages

Problems of Reform - 2Problems of Reform - 2

The mixed state and free market encouraged The mixed state and free market encouraged corruption – favouritism and bribery.corruption – favouritism and bribery.

Price rises unsettled populationPrice rises unsettled population Uneven economic developmentUneven economic development As planning functions of bureaucracy shrink, As planning functions of bureaucracy shrink,

China becomes burdened with over-large China becomes burdened with over-large statestate

Educational reform created a larger Educational reform created a larger professional class and more idealistic professional class and more idealistic studentsstudents

The Deng ContradictionThe Deng Contradiction

Deng wanted China to grow economicallyDeng wanted China to grow economically To this end, his reforms were effectiveTo this end, his reforms were effective Part of this process was the encouragement of Part of this process was the encouragement of

more independent thinking, and a reward for more independent thinking, and a reward for enterpriseenterprise

Inevitably, demands for political reform grew Inevitably, demands for political reform grew alongside these changesalongside these changes

But Deng had no intention of lessening But Deng had no intention of lessening communist hold on political powercommunist hold on political power

Reform generated greater expectations which Reform generated greater expectations which Deng was not going to fulfillDeng was not going to fulfill

The Road to Tiananmen The Road to Tiananmen SquareSquare

More economic choice and freedom More economic choice and freedom encouraged demands for political encouraged demands for political freedomsfreedoms

Deng could not stop halfway on road to Deng could not stop halfway on road to economic reformeconomic reform

He lined with conservatives in belief that He lined with conservatives in belief that liberty of expression should be curtailedliberty of expression should be curtailed

Power struggle in Party – Hu Yaobang, Power struggle in Party – Hu Yaobang, and then Zhao Ziyang, supported greater and then Zhao Ziyang, supported greater tolerancetolerance

The Road to Tiananmen The Road to Tiananmen Square - 2Square - 2

Li Peng represented hardlinersLi Peng represented hardliners Effects of Glasnost in RussiaEffects of Glasnost in Russia Increasing awareness of injustices in Chinese Increasing awareness of injustices in Chinese

society generated by economic reformssociety generated by economic reforms Gorbachev visit to Beijing in May 1989 Gorbachev visit to Beijing in May 1989

coincided with student demonstrations in coincided with student demonstrations in Tiananmen SquareTiananmen Square

Deng sided with hardliner Li Peng and ordered Deng sided with hardliner Li Peng and ordered troops introops in

Massacre ensued – the clear limits to China’s Massacre ensued – the clear limits to China’s reforms were made brutally clearreforms were made brutally clear

To what extent did political and To what extent did political and economic policy change after the economic policy change after the

death of Chairman Mao (up to death of Chairman Mao (up to c.1990)?c.1990)?

‘‘Political’ can include social policy here. Political’ can include social policy here. Issues to consider:Issues to consider:

Significance of Deng Xiaoping and his Significance of Deng Xiaoping and his success in the post-Mao power success in the post-Mao power strugglestruggle

Four modernisations and limited Four modernisations and limited liberalisationliberalisation

Special Economic ZonesSpecial Economic Zones Social policy – one-child familySocial policy – one-child family



Specifically political reforms limited or Specifically political reforms limited or opposed:opposed:

‘‘Fifth Modernisation’ and Fifth Modernisation’ and ‘Democracy Wall’‘Democracy Wall’

Power struggle between reformers Power struggle between reformers and conservativesand conservatives

Tiananmen SquareTiananmen Square Key role of DengKey role of Deng



ConclusionConclusion may be that while may be that while economic and social policy saw economic and social policy saw reforms – especially economic – reforms – especially economic – political reform was kept tightly political reform was kept tightly under wraps as the CCP maintained under wraps as the CCP maintained its firm political control. Deng its firm political control. Deng Xiaoping retained his colours as a Xiaoping retained his colours as a pragmatist committed to communist pragmatist committed to communist domination.domination.

AFTER MAO. POWER STRUGGLE Hua Guofeng succeeds Mao Hua Guofeng succeeds Mao Mao’s nominee –...

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Transcript of AFTER MAO. POWER STRUGGLE Hua Guofeng succeeds Mao Hua Guofeng succeeds Mao Mao’s nominee –...