The political history of the Peoples Republic from 1949 to 1989 was shaped in

4.The political history of the People’s Republic from 1949 to 1989 was shaped in large part by tensions between competing visions of how China should be transformed into a modern and socialist country. Describe those two lines, the individuals associated with them, and how they influenced the course of policy between 1949 and 1989. ○ Two Lines ■ “Mao Zedong Thought” ● More rapid implement of social equality ● Ideology can overcome economic shortage ● Human will rather than materials serve the base in the transition period ■ Pragmatists (Liu Shaoqi/ Deng Xiaoping) ● Modernization of economic is important to political transformation ● Orthodox Marxism: only when economy reaches its climax, China is ready for political transformation ● Stress on technological skill ○ Three Stage Development/ First Five Years ■ Three Stage Development ● Mutual aid teams (traditional practices of peasant cooperation in sharing labor and farm animals tools were formalized) ● Lower-level agricultural producers’ cooperatives (APC) ● No private ownership ■ First Five Years (successful) ● Everything is planned ● Emphasize on heavy industry/ all industry is nationalized ● Call for collectivism (However, there is a concern with gradual approach: a growing economic disparity. ) ○ Two Lines’ influence on policy 1.1949-1957 ■ Mao

● (to address this potential problem) Mao had a speech in provincial secretary (break parity discipline) ● Call for rapid transformation ○ Formation of lower agricultural collab ● Results: ○ Increasing the number of collab ■ 1955 mid 15% end 63% 1956 mid 90% ■ Move to higher stage of collectivization/ 1957: call for full collectivism ■ Deng and Liu ● Call for gradually economies approach (Liu/ Deng) 2.The Great Leap Forward era ■ The Great Leap Forward (Mao) ● Establishment of commune ● back-yard steel ○ Decentralize steel production ● Winds of exaggeration ● Fail ■ Lushan Plenum (conflict) ● Mao: stepback to a more realistic level ● Peng Dehuai: saw problems on the ground/ Most leaders side with Peng in the meeting/ dismissing Peng ● Mao ‘s defensive response: attitude changed to one of full steam ahead and lead a new Great Leap which failed spectacularly ■ Liu/Deng Line ● The great leap forward fester the Liu/Deng Line ● rewards/ bonuses and higher wages when they work harder than others ● Allow people to sell food on local market ● Allow people to have own land 3.Socialist Education Campaign 1962 ■ Mao: Reintroduce class struggle into communities once again ● Class label/ Four bad types: ○ Landlords, rich peasants, counterrevolutionaries, bad elements ■ Liu/ Deng