IB History Paper 2 - Authoritarian States (Mao and PRC)
Emergence of Authoritarian States
Conditions in which authoritarian states emerged
Economic Factors:
Early 1900s majority of land owned by the upper class
Mao promised land reform to peasants
Qing Dynasty - Heavy taxes imposed to support the building of court; tax collectors would often steal majority of tax moneySocial Division:
extreme division between classes- countryside ruled by warlords
division between areas- cultural ans language differences caused China to lack a uniform identity and sense of nationalism
gender division- women seen only as beauty standards and to serve men, not even viewed as an actual person. created opportunity for ccp to gain support by talking to women and encouraging them to join the party
Impact of War
Chinese Civil War- long march, opportunity for mao to spread his ideology, gain support of peasants while utilizing Guerilla tactics
second Sino-Japanese war, united ccp and gmd against Japan temporarily, Jeishi lack of effective leadership that helped Mao after the war (rape of nanjing, yellow river flood, etc)
Weakness of Political System:
GMD- Betrayed peasants and lacked support;
Low literacy/education rates in the countryside
lack of unity led to huge weakness that Japan took advantage of in their brutal attacks
Boxer rebellion (1899) - Aimed to push out foreigners from China; lost due to lack of weapons; West would be deemed as a threat in China
Other things to consider:
The rise of communism in China amidst social and economic turmoil was exacerbated by the Chinese Civil War.
Mao Zedong's leadership and the establishment of the People's Republic of China in 1949 following the victory of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
Economic instability and social unrest during the early 20th century, exacerbated by foreign imperialism and internal conflict, provided fertile ground for authoritarian rule.
The impact of the Chinese Civil War, where the CCP emerged victorious over the nationalist Guomindang (GMD), led by Chiang Kai-shek, establishing communist rule.
Note: Consider the effects of the Chinese Civil War; and the extent to which communism had control of the state (can be studied as a Topic 11 choice)
Methods used to Establish Authoritarian State
Use of legal methods
"use of legal methods" is not applicable since Mao & the CCP took power through a war and in the aftermath, established their authoritarian state (unlike Hitler and Mussolini who rose through legal means and then needed to work legally within the system to change it from within to make it authoritarian) |
Use of force
3 and 5 Antis- Forced business owners and "capitalists' to give power to government; public humiliation if refuse Great Leap Forward- Abolished private land ownership; pushed peasants to work in large communes. CCP set quotas that had to be met; otherwise would result in death/torture by the CCP. Rectification Campaigns 1942 - Prevented party from becoming self-satisfied and elitist/regular purge of party; idea was to rectify false thoughts; Mao’s ideology regarded as absolute guiding force (Mao has all the answers) |
Charismatic Leadership
1965 23 Articles- China following Mao instead of party when he critiques "Red August"- Follow Mao's beliefs to point of harming others |
Dissemination of Propaganda
Little Red Book- "Give to 99% of China" |
Nature, extent, and treatment of opposition
Hundred Flowers Campaign- Encourage critique of party, then target those who spoke out |
The impact of the success and/or failure of foreign policy on the maintenance of power
Lushan Conference- Lack of success within party, Mao step down Resist American, Aid Korea- Established Mao, joined China as one |
Aims and Results of Policies
Domestic policies:
Economic policies | 5 year plan- boosted industrial production and brought of Chinese economy |
Political policies | 5 year plan- focused on an industrialist society and brought peasants to industrial workforce |
Cultural policies | The Four Olds- Removed old ways of Chinese thinking and life |
Social policies | Marriage Laws- No child betrothal, freedom of marriage choice, etc. Mao caring about women or wanting more workforce? |
Policies on Women and Minorities:
Women
must consent to marriage, can’t be sold for prostitution, illegal to abandon baby girls, encouraged to have their own (communist) opinions/voices, strict beauty standards such as foot binding eliminated, can own land
Minorities
all foreigners targeted/driven out in 3 anti campaign
Authoritarian control and the extent to which it was achieved
Socialist Education Movement (1962-1966)- Mao attempting to have complete control over China (it was having peasants educating others)
IB History Paper 2 - Authoritarian States (Mao and PRC)
Emergence of Authoritarian States
Conditions in which authoritarian states emerged
Economic Factors:
Early 1900s majority of land owned by the upper class
Mao promised land reform to peasants
Qing Dynasty - Heavy taxes imposed to support the building of court; tax collectors would often steal majority of tax moneySocial Division:
extreme division between classes- countryside ruled by warlords
division between areas- cultural ans language differences caused China to lack a uniform identity and sense of nationalism
gender division- women seen only as beauty standards and to serve men, not even viewed as an actual person. created opportunity for ccp to gain support by talking to women and encouraging them to join the party
Impact of War
Chinese Civil War- long march, opportunity for mao to spread his ideology, gain support of peasants while utilizing Guerilla tactics
second Sino-Japanese war, united ccp and gmd against Japan temporarily, Jeishi lack of effective leadership that helped Mao after the war (rape of nanjing, yellow river flood, etc)
Weakness of Political System:
GMD- Betrayed peasants and lacked support;
Low literacy/education rates in the countryside
lack of unity led to huge weakness that Japan took advantage of in their brutal attacks
Boxer rebellion (1899) - Aimed to push out foreigners from China; lost due to lack of weapons; West would be deemed as a threat in China
Other things to consider:
The rise of communism in China amidst social and economic turmoil was exacerbated by the Chinese Civil War.
Mao Zedong's leadership and the establishment of the People's Republic of China in 1949 following the victory of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
Economic instability and social unrest during the early 20th century, exacerbated by foreign imperialism and internal conflict, provided fertile ground for authoritarian rule.
The impact of the Chinese Civil War, where the CCP emerged victorious over the nationalist Guomindang (GMD), led by Chiang Kai-shek, establishing communist rule.
Note: Consider the effects of the Chinese Civil War; and the extent to which communism had control of the state (can be studied as a Topic 11 choice)
Methods used to Establish Authoritarian State
Use of legal methods
"use of legal methods" is not applicable since Mao & the CCP took power through a war and in the aftermath, established their authoritarian state (unlike Hitler and Mussolini who rose through legal means and then needed to work legally within the system to change it from within to make it authoritarian) |
Use of force
3 and 5 Antis- Forced business owners and "capitalists' to give power to government; public humiliation if refuse Great Leap Forward- Abolished private land ownership; pushed peasants to work in large communes. CCP set quotas that had to be met; otherwise would result in death/torture by the CCP. Rectification Campaigns 1942 - Prevented party from becoming self-satisfied and elitist/regular purge of party; idea was to rectify false thoughts; Mao’s ideology regarded as absolute guiding force (Mao has all the answers) |
Charismatic Leadership
1965 23 Articles- China following Mao instead of party when he critiques "Red August"- Follow Mao's beliefs to point of harming others |
Dissemination of Propaganda
Little Red Book- "Give to 99% of China" |
Nature, extent, and treatment of opposition
Hundred Flowers Campaign- Encourage critique of party, then target those who spoke out |
The impact of the success and/or failure of foreign policy on the maintenance of power
Lushan Conference- Lack of success within party, Mao step down Resist American, Aid Korea- Established Mao, joined China as one |
Aims and Results of Policies
Domestic policies:
Economic policies | 5 year plan- boosted industrial production and brought of Chinese economy |
Political policies | 5 year plan- focused on an industrialist society and brought peasants to industrial workforce |
Cultural policies | The Four Olds- Removed old ways of Chinese thinking and life |
Social policies | Marriage Laws- No child betrothal, freedom of marriage choice, etc. Mao caring about women or wanting more workforce? |
Policies on Women and Minorities:
Women
must consent to marriage, can’t be sold for prostitution, illegal to abandon baby girls, encouraged to have their own (communist) opinions/voices, strict beauty standards such as foot binding eliminated, can own land
Minorities
all foreigners targeted/driven out in 3 anti campaign
Authoritarian control and the extent to which it was achieved
Socialist Education Movement (1962-1966)- Mao attempting to have complete control over China (it was having peasants educating others)