Analyzing China's Communist Evolution: Mao, Deng, and Dynastic Roots

China's Political Continuity: Dynastic History and Communism

Parallels Between Dynastic History and Communism

Values (Similarities)

• Respect for elders, cult of personality, and resistance to progress.
• Confucianism: Emphasis on harmony and backwards approaches of never challenging tradition or moving forward.

Centrism (Similarities)

• Strong unitary central authority and bureaucracy chosen on the basis of merit (e.g., Han Dynasty, Qin).
• Deference to party and state leadership.

Patterns of Change

• Historical cycle: Rulers become jaded or corrupt, losing sight of their values.
• An outsider is forced to take over and re-establish old traditions and values.

The Transition of Power: From Mao Zedong to Deng Xiaoping

• In 1921, the Communist Party (CCP) was formed, directly opposing the Nationalist Party (KMT), causing a civil war.
• Mao became Chairman (leader, although the position would later be eliminated and replaced by the position of General Secretary) of the CCP and established the PRC in 1949 after winning the war.
• Mao attempted to jumpstart the communist state politically and economically with egalitarian ideals through the Great Leap Forward (a failure).
• Deng Xiaoping and Liu Shaoqi were brought in to fix the economic, political, and social problems caused by the Great Leap Forward. (They succeeded, but Mao accused them of betraying communist/socialist ideology.)
• Mao initiated the Cultural Revolution to undo the work of Deng and Liu:
  • Use of the Little Red Book, the Red Guard, and the destruction of monuments and traditional culture.
• Mao died in 1976.
• Deng organized the takedown of the Gang of Four (led by Mao’s widow), who had plans of continuing the revolution.
• Deng assumed power and launched the plans for economic growth that he had previously attempted before the Revolution, which were successful this time.

Mao's Rise: The Impact of World War II

• Before WWII, there were two major parties: the Kuomintang (KMT) and the Communists.
• The KMT government performed poorly during the war and excessively taxed the people, leaving many peasants homeless and starving.
• This spurred hatred for the KMT party and eventually strengthened the Communist Party.

Comparing Deng Xiaoping and Nikita Khrushchev

Economic Policy

• Deng: Achieved success because of his effective economic reforms:
  • Special Economic Zones (SEZs), privatization of farms, Township and Village Enterprises (TVEs).
• Khrushchev: Reforms were less successful compared to Deng's market-oriented approach.

Political Freedom

• Khrushchev: Gained political momentum through de-Stalinization.
• Deng: Maintained strict political control despite economic liberalization.

Foreign Entanglement and Global Relations

• Deng: Achieved success by expanding and making connections with the West.
• Khrushchev: Escalated the Cold War:
  • Example: The Cuban Missile Crisis.