Maoist China
1949–1976
Mao Zedong with Nikita Khrushchev, Ho Chi Minh and Soong Ching-ling during a state dinner in Beijing, 1959
Preceded by	History of the Republic of China
Including	Cold War
Followed by	History of the People's Republic of China (1976–1989)
Leader(s)	Mao Zedong

"Maoist China" refers to the period in China from 1949 to 1976. This was when Mao Zedong led the country. It's also called the "Mao era." This time began with the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1, 1949. It ended with Mao's death in 1976. During this period, China saw big changes. These included land reform, the Great Leap Forward, and the Cultural Revolution. Sadly, the Great Chinese Famine, one of the worst famines in history, also happened during this time.

Founding the People's Republic of China in 1949
Early 1950s: Social Changes
China's Role in the Korean War
Relations with the Soviet Union (1953–1957)
The Great Leap Forward
Third Front Development
Cultural Revolution
Differences Between City and Countryside
Mao Zedong's Impact
Images for kids
See also

Founding the People's Republic of China in 1949

On September 29, 1949, a group called the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference made an important decision. They agreed on a basic plan for China's future. This happened after the Chinese Civil War ended.

The People's Republic of China (PRC) was officially announced. Mao Zedong, the leader of the Chinese Communist Party, made the announcement. It happened on October 1, 1949, at 3:00 pm. The place was Tiananmen Square in Beijing. A big military parade took place during the ceremony.

Early 1950s: Social Changes

When the People's Republic of China was founded, the country was struggling. It had faced a long period of foreign invasions and civil wars. But between 1949 and 1959, both cities and farms grew a lot. Industries also saw major improvements.

Mao's government started a land reform program. They also began collectivization. This meant farmers worked together on shared land. The government also set up the laogai camp system.

Economically, China followed the Soviet Union's example. They started their first five-year plan from 1953 to 1957. The government took control of industries in 1955. This made China's economy similar to the economy of the Soviet Union.

China's Role in the Korean War

Soon after its founding, China became involved in its first international conflict. This was the Korean War. On June 25, 1950, North Korea invaded South Korea. United Nations forces joined the war to help South Korea.

The Soviet Union and China saw a UN victory as a win for the United States. This worried them during the start of the Cold War. China warned that it would not accept a US-backed Korea on its border. When UN troops got close to China's border, China sent soldiers. These soldiers were called the "People's Volunteers." They were sent to help North Korea.

The Chinese army was not well-equipped. But it had many experienced soldiers from the civil war. These soldiers also had huge numbers. The war was very costly for China. Many Chinese soldiers died because of a lack of modern technology.

The war ended on July 27, 1953, with an armistice. The Korean War stopped any chance of normal relations between China and the United States for many years. Also, Chinese forces invaded and took over Tibet in October 1950.

China also started its own nuclear program. On October 16, 1964, China successfully tested its first atomic bomb. This was called Project 596. China became the fifth country to have nuclear weapons.

Relations with the Soviet Union (1953–1957)

The Korean War was very expensive for China. It also slowed down the country's rebuilding efforts. In 1949, Mao Zedong said China would "lean to one side." This meant the Soviet Union would be its main ally.

The Soviet Union gave China a lot of economic help and training in the 1950s. Many Chinese students went to study in Moscow. Factories and other large projects were built based on Soviet designs. China was mostly a farming country with little industry.

By 1956, Mao felt that socialism was mostly established. He wanted the country to rest and get stronger. In February 1957, Mao gave a famous speech. He said, "Let a hundred flowers bloom, let a hundred schools of thought contend." This was part of the Hundred Flowers Campaign. The idea was to let people openly discuss ideas.

However, many people used this chance to criticize the Communist Party. Mao was surprised by this. He quickly ended the campaign. Then, he started the Anti-Rightist Campaign. Many intellectuals and workers were punished or jailed.

The Great Leap Forward

Mao's programs, like collectivization, were popular in the early 1950s. But China's relationship with the new Soviet leader, Nikita Khrushchev, became difficult. This led to new ideas for changing China's economy.

After Joseph Stalin died in 1953, Khrushchev criticized him. This shocked the communist world. China did not agree with this criticism of Stalin. Mao felt the Soviets were not treating China as an equal. Khrushchev's idea of peaceful competition with the United States also did not sit well with China.

In 1958, Mao announced a new economic plan called the "Great Leap Forward." This plan aimed to quickly increase industrial and agricultural production. Mao wanted China to produce more steel than Great Britain by 1968.

Giant cooperatives, called people's communes, were created. Almost all Chinese villages became communes. People were supposed to live and work together. Instead of big steel mills, small "backyard furnaces" were used to make steel.

However, the results were terrible. The economy was disrupted. Farm production fell, and people made poor-quality goods that couldn't be sold. Because of bad planning, there wasn't enough food. This led to widespread famine from 1960 to 1961. Millions of people died from hunger or being overworked. The steel made in backyard furnaces was useless.

One of the main people against the Great Leap Forward was Defense Minister Peng Dehuai. He believed in traditional Soviet-style economic planning. Peng was horrified by the disaster of the Great Leap Forward. He saw ruined farms and useless iron. He blamed Mao for the disaster. Because of this, Peng was removed from his position.

The relationship between China and the Soviet Union got much worse in 1959. The Soviets stopped sharing scientific and technological information. By August 1960, they pulled all their workers out of China. This left many building projects unfinished. The two countries even argued openly in international meetings. Their relationship hit a low point in 1969. This was during the Sino-Soviet border conflict, when their troops fought on the border.

Third Front Development

After the Great Leap Forward failed, China slowed down its industrial growth. It focused more on coastal regions and making consumer goods. In 1964, a report said that China's industries in big coastal cities were easy targets for attack.

Mao then pushed for building basic industries and defense factories in China's interior. This led to the "Third Front" project. It included huge projects like railroads, aerospace facilities, and steel production.

Building the Third Front slowed down during the Cultural Revolution in 1966. But it sped up again after the Sino-Soviet border conflict. This conflict made China worry more about a Soviet invasion. Construction slowed again after U.S. President Richard Nixon visited China in 1972. This visit improved relations between the U.S. and China.

After Mao's death, China began to gradually stop the Third Front projects. The Third Front helped spread factories and people around the country. This reduced differences between regions and helped prepare for future economic growth.

Cultural Revolution

This section is transcluded from Cultural Revolution

The Cultural Revolution was a big change in China that lasted from 1966 to 1976. It was started by Mao Zedong, who was the leader of the Communist Party of China. This period brought many changes to Chinese society and culture.

The Cultural Revolution began after a difficult time called the Great Leap Forward. Mao Zedong wanted to remove people he called "capitalists" from the Communist Party. These were people he believed were not following the true path of Socialism. To do this, he started a program called the Socialist Education Movement. This movement ran from 1962 to 1965. During this time, the school system was also changed. The goal was to make sure students could also work in factories and farms.

By 1965, Mao Zedong started to get more power again. He had the support of important people like Lin Biao, Jiang Qing, and Chen Boda. The Communist Party was divided between those who supported Mao and those who supported Deng Xiaoping, who was a rival of Mao.

Mao Zedong wanted to get young people on his side. He did this by creating a book called Quotations from Chairman Mao Zedong, also known as the Little Red Book. This book was full of his sayings. He also made a group called the Red Guards very popular. The Red Guards were young people who traveled around China. They spread Mao's ideas and sometimes caused trouble. They damaged old buildings and museums. There were many conflicts, and China faced a time of disorder. Many important leaders, like Liu Shaoqi (who was the President of China) and Deng Xiaoping, were removed from their positions.

The Cultural Revolution started to slow down in 1967. It officially ended in 1969, when the Ninth National Party Congress announced its conclusion.

The Cultural Revolution was a major political movement in China. It began in 1966 and lasted until Mao's death in 1976. Mao Zedong launched it to remove his rivals and to restart revolutionary spirit. He called on young people, known as the Red Guards, to challenge traditional ideas.

This movement caused huge chaos across China. Schools and universities closed. Many historical sites and cultural items were destroyed. People accused of being "capitalist roaders" or "counter-revolutionaries" were persecuted. This included many government officials, intellectuals, and artists. The Cultural Revolution deeply affected Chinese society. It led to a lot of suffering and loss of life.

Differences Between City and Countryside

In Maoist China, there was a big difference between city and rural areas. This affected how food, clothing, housing, and healthcare were given out. People in rural areas did not get state ration cards or social security. Because of this, Maoist China is sometimes called a "dual society."

The government's plan was to grow heavy industry. They did this by using resources from the rural population. Farmers had to sell their extra crops to the state at very low prices. This kept food cheap for city people. In some areas, the state took so much grain that local farmers didn't have enough.

The rural population suffered the most during the Great Chinese Famine. The state could take as much grain as it needed, even when people were starving. This grain was mostly used to feed city people. Some was also exported.

The different treatment made many people want to move to cities. But it was very hard to get permission to move to a city. You could join the army or pass a tough university exam. Because of these rules, the percentage of people living in rural areas was higher in 1978 than in 1958.

Mao Zedong's Impact

The period from 1949 to 1976 is called the "Mao era." Understanding this time means understanding Mao's impact. After Mao's death, there has been much debate about his legacy.

Mao's poor management of food and focus on village industry are often blamed for millions of deaths during the famine. However, there were also positive changes. Before 1949, 80% of people in China could not read or write. Life expectancy was only 35 years. By Mao's death, illiteracy dropped to less than 7%. Average life expectancy increased by 30 years.

China's population also grew a lot. It went from 400 million to over 700 million by Mao's death. Under Mao, some argue that China ended its "Century of Humiliation." It became a major power on the world stage again. Mao also industrialized China significantly. He made sure China remained a sovereign nation. He also tried to get rid of old Confucian and feudal traditions.

Images for kids

Birth and death rate in China
China's population growth
Life expectancy by world region

By 1976, China's economy was three times larger than in 1949. Mao-era China gained some features of a superpower. These included nuclear weapons and a space program. However, the nation was still quite poor compared to the Soviet Union, the United States, Japan, or Western Europe. Economic growth from 1962–1966 was wiped out by the Cultural Revolution.

Mao's ideas, known as Maoism, became part of China's Constitution. They guided the country's policies. Around the world, Maoism influenced many communist movements. These included groups like the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia and the Shining Path in Peru. Today, "Mao Zedong Thought" is mostly used in China to talk about the Communist Party's history. Some people believe that later reforms by Deng Xiaoping went against Mao's original ideas.

History of the People's Republic of China (1949–1976) facts for kids

Contents