Describe and analyse the different periods of communism in the People's Republic of China (PRC) since 1949

Résumé du document

We will build a new world, a red world said Chieh Fang Chün Pao in 1967. The construction of this promised world was started on October 1st 1949 when Mao proclaimed the PRC and China began the process of developing into a communist State. However China has been a divided nation, both politically and historically. Thus, while some regions were integrated at a later date than the others to the PRC, others were granted special status (provinces, autonomous regions, municipalities and special administrative regions). The communist era can be divided in two: the Maoist era, when China was closed to other countries and tried to practice 'pure' communism; and the post-Maoist era, when the PRC opened up and created its own communism (communism that allowed capitalism). There is another noticeable difference in Chinese communism; a more spatial difference. China's Communist Party (CCP) forced communism on its citizens differently depending on the regions they belonged to, their History and more importantly their relations with Beijing. In order to describe and analyze the different periods of communism in the PRC since 1949, we first need to focus on the evolution of policies and interpretation of two opposite models- the rural and the urban. We will then focus on three different regions of China and study how communism influences them. These are: Tibet, for its historical background, Xinjiang for the minority problems in China, and Hong Kong as a capitalist penetration in a communist state.

Extraits

[...] The truth was hidden by the equal distribution of grain the CCP imposed : every Chinese was fed but each year he was fed less. The failure of the Communes was enhanced by the confidence Chinese had in Mao: the top of the party strongly believed in them so lower-level cadres went even faster and further then the centre . As collectivization entirely disrupted agricultural production in the PRC, liberal practises were reintroduced in certain areas. But Mao fought these by putting in place an agrarian radical policy with egalitarianism as key word: the patterns of state grain redistribution were changed, private plots were reduced and new constraints appeared for private marketing. [...]

[...] Xinjiang Xinjiang is the biggest region of the PRC with ( of the Chinese territory) and 17 million inhabitants. Until 1949, the area was theoretically independent but was integrated to the PRC on the 12 September when the PLA invade the East Turkestan Republic. Xinjiang is a very strategic territory because of its borders with the Muslim Republics, Russia, Pakistan and Afghanistan and its many natural resources petroleum, gas and coal for example . In 1955, Xinjiang was granted the status of Autonomous Region where national minorities are supposedly given representation. [...]

[...] The Chinese aim was to deconstruct the cultural basis and customs of the Tibetan society and then start anew. So they would launch campaigns against religious dignitaries that should reverse the church superiority over laity organisms. This situation went on until March 1959, when demonstrations erupted in Lhasa and the Dalai Lama, his government and Tibetans fled to India. Since that time, there is an open conflict between the government of Tibet in exile and the CCP on the status of Tibet. [...]

[...] But The Great Leap Forward and Mao's industrialisation policies caused the rural-urban migration rates to explode. As a result a campaign was started to bring down the urban population rate. This campaign was based on three 'anticonsumption' policies: the cities had to come from a consumer status to a producer one so wages were frozen and food and services were rationed. To receive rations tickets, one must be registered thus the Chinese government could very efficiently control urbanization. Moreover, in order to stop rural exodus, the government consciously allowed a lack of maintenance and housing: by 1979, half of urban residence were 'in urgent need of repair' . [...]

[...] Describe and analyse the different periods of communism in the People's Republic of China (PRC) since 1949 Describe and analyse the different periods of communism in the People's Republic of China (PRC) since 1949. will build a new world, a red world” said Chieh Fang Chün Pao in 1967. This new world was started on October 1st 1949 when Mao proclaimed the PRC and since then China builds itself into a communist State. But China is divided politically and historically: some regions were integrated later than other to the PRC, others have special status (provinces, autonomous regions, municipalities and special administrative regions). [...]