This section focuses on China under the rule of the Chinese Communist Party, and the great changes as the Communist Party under Chairman Mao Zedong (Mao Tse-tung) extended its rule and Mao’s vision of a socialist state. The focus of this section is on the impact of domestic political, social and economic policies. It also examines the modernization of China’s economy since Mao’s death.
- Consolidation of the communist state (1949–1961) under Mao Zedong; key policies; land reforms; rectification campaigns; Hundred Flowers campaign (1956)
- Transition to socialism; successes and failures in economic developments (1949–1961); First Five-Year
Plan; Great Leap Forward; Second Five-Year Plan - Social developments; women’s rights; health; education
- Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution: causes; Gang of Four; political, social and cultural impact
- Foreign policy and foreign affairs 1949–1976; Sino-American relations; establishment and breakdown of Sino-Soviet relations; China as a regional and global power
- Power struggle following the death of Mao Zedong; Hua Guofeng, the re-emergence of Deng Xiaoping and the defeat of the Gang of Four
- China under Deng Xiaoping (1976–1997); economic developments; Four Modernizations; political developments; causes and effects of Tiananmen Square (1989); Jiang Zemin
This section will focus on the period 1976 to 2005, Mao’s reign is covered in these links:
Deng Xiaoping 1978-1989
If you have read the historiography of Mao and China in the twentieth century, you will have come across Rana Mitter. He is one of foremost experts on China is useful to include in your analysis of perspectives. In the link below, he is discussing the Chinese leader, Deng Xiaoping.
Jiang Zemin 1989-2002
Hu Jintao 2002-12