In 1978, Deng Xiaoping was able to wield political power without necessarily holding any official or formally significant party or government positions at any given time.

The period in China from the death of Mao Zedong in 1976 until the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests and massacre is often called Dengist China. After Chairman Mao Zedong died in September 1976, China was left without a clear leader. A group called the Gang of Four was removed from power. The new Chairman, Hua Guofeng, wanted to keep Mao's old policies.

However, after a peaceful power struggle, Deng Xiaoping took charge. He aimed to change China's economy and government. Deng was careful about big political changes. But the economic changes led to new problems. This resulted in another political crisis, ending with a crackdown on large pro-democracy protests in Tiananmen Square.

China After Mao's Death (1976-1978)
- New Leadership and Power Struggles
- China's Place in the World
Deng Xiaoping Becomes China's Top Leader
- Economic Reforms and Opening Up
Tiananmen Square Protests
One Child Policy
See also

China After Mao's Death (1976-1978)

When Mao Zedong, the leader of the Chinese Communist Party, died on September 9, 1976, China was in a difficult situation. The Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution had left the country poorer and more isolated. Many skilled people were in prison or forced to do manual labor. Schools had closed, and a whole generation of young people missed out on education.

New Leadership and Power Struggles

After Mao's death, Hua Guofeng became the new party chairman. He soon learned that the Gang of Four were planning to remove him. With help from military leaders, Hua had the Gang of Four arrested in October 1976. This event was celebrated across China. People hoped it would mark a new beginning after the chaos of the Cultural Revolution.

Hua tried to follow Mao's ideas very closely. He said, "Whatever Chairman Mao said, we will say, and whatever Chairman Mao did, we will do." This was known as the "Two Whatevers". During 1977-1978, China focused on getting its economy back on track. Schools reopened, and some extreme parts of Mao's personality cult were reduced.

However, Hua's policies were not very popular. Many leaders felt he lacked new ideas. Meanwhile, Deng Xiaoping was still out of power due to past "political mistakes." Many in the party wanted Deng to return. In July 1977, Deng Xiaoping was given back his important positions. He then helped his supporters, like Hu Yaobang and Zhao Ziyang, rise in the party.

In March 1978, China adopted a new constitution. It aimed to bring back some rules and plans for the economy. Hua Guofeng wanted to return to a Soviet-style economy, focusing on heavy industry.

China's Place in the World

In 1978, Deng Xiaoping visited Japan and signed a peace treaty. This officially ended the state of war between the two countries that had lasted since the 1930s. China also improved relations with Yugoslavia, a country it had criticized before.

However, relations with the Soviet Union remained difficult. Deng Xiaoping ended a friendship treaty with the Soviets. Relations with Vietnam also became hostile. China had supported the Khmer Rouge government in Cambodia. When Vietnam invaded Cambodia in January 1979 and removed the Khmer Rouge, China saw this as a threat.

Deng Xiaoping with US President Jimmy Carter, January 1979

China finally established full diplomatic relations with the United States on January 1, 1979. This had been planned since President Nixon's visit in 1972. The US agreed to recognize the People's Republic of China as the only government of China. Deng Xiaoping visited the US in February 1979 and met with President Jimmy Carter.

In February 1979, China launched a large attack on the Vietnamese border. China said it needed to "teach Vietnam a lesson." The war lasted three weeks. China withdrew and declared victory. However, the war showed that China's army had outdated equipment and tactics. It was a political victory for China because the Soviet Union did not actively help Vietnam.

The term "Red China" was often used to describe the People's Republic of China from the late 1940s until the mid-1970s. It was used to tell the difference between Communist China and the Republic of China (Taiwan). After President Nixon's visit in 1972, the term became less common. By the 1980s, it was rarely used in mainstream news.

Deng Xiaoping Becomes China's Top Leader

Even though Hua Guofeng was still chairman, Deng Xiaoping's power grew quickly. Deng's ideas seemed new and exciting compared to Hua's old-fashioned approach. Deng was seen as a strong leader with lots of experience.

As Vice-Premier for Technology and Education, Deng brought back the university entrance exams in 1977. This gave many young people, who had missed out on education during the Cultural Revolution, a chance to go to college. He also raised the status of intellectuals, calling them important for building a socialist country.

Deng pushed for the "Four Modernizations": improving agriculture, industry, science and technology, and the military. These goals aimed to make China a modern, industrial nation. This new approach was called "socialism with Chinese characteristics" and began a new era of "Reforms and Opening up."

In December 1978, a key meeting of the Chinese Communist Party confirmed Deng's leadership. This meeting decided to focus on economic development instead of political struggles. It also brought in major changes to the political, economic, and social systems. Hua Guofeng admitted his "Two Whatevers" policy was wrong and slowly stepped down from his top roles.

Zhao Ziyang became the Premier in 1980, and Hu Yaobang became the Party General Secretary in 1982. The position of party chairman was removed to prevent any one person from having too much power, like Mao Zedong did. Deng Xiaoping became China's de facto (actual) top leader, even though he only held the title of Chairman of the Central Military Commission.

In 1982, a new Chinese Constitution was adopted. This version is still used today. It emphasized getting help from other countries to modernize China. It also removed all mentions of the Cultural Revolution. The constitution stated that class struggle was no longer a main issue in China.

Economic Reforms and Opening Up

Deng's leadership focused on practical economic development. The "Four Modernizations" aimed to boost rural income, allow businesses more freedom, reduce central planning, and bring in foreign investment. New laws were passed to support these changes.

Deng believed that China was in an early stage of socialism. He said that socialism did not mean everyone had to be poor. He encouraged policies that worked well, even if they seemed similar to those in capitalist countries. He said these ideas were part of human knowledge, not just for one system.

Many of the economic changes started at the local level. If a reform worked well in one area, it would be adopted by larger areas and eventually across the country. This "bottom-up" approach was different from the "top-down" changes in the Soviet Union.

Deng's reforms encouraged light industry and exports. Light industries needed less money to start and could earn foreign currency quickly. This money could then be used to invest in more advanced industries. China also opened up Special Economic Zones to attract foreign companies and capitalist business practices.

To improve work, new rewards and bonus systems were introduced. Farmers could sell their extra produce in free markets. This not only increased farm output but also helped industrial growth.

During the 1980s, China also began a major crackdown on crime. These "Strike Hard" campaigns often involved harsh punishments.

Tiananmen Square Protests

As China changed, new problems appeared, like rising prices, political corruption, and many people moving to cities. The 1980s also saw more freedom for writers and thinkers. Two main groups emerged: students and intellectuals who wanted more economic and political reforms, and older party leaders who worried about the speed of change.

The government allowed more artistic freedom, but still insisted that art and literature should support socialism. Some young people started to question the party's leadership.

In late 1983, there was a brief campaign against "spiritual pollution." This meant cracking down on Western ideas and styles. However, Deng Xiaoping quickly stopped this campaign.

Religious freedom was also brought back in the 1980s. Five official religions were recognized: Protestantism, Catholicism, Islam, Buddhism, and Taoism. Places of worship could operate if they did not oppose the party.

In December 1986, students protested against the slow pace of reform. They were inspired by a physicist, Fang Lizhi, who criticized Deng's cautious approach. Students wanted more campus elections, chances to study abroad, and more Western pop culture. Hu Yaobang, a reform supporter, was blamed for the protests and forced to resign in January 1987. Li Peng, a more conservative leader, became Premier.

At the 13th Party Congress in 1987, Deng Xiaoping and other older leaders officially stepped down. The new leaders were younger and more educated. However, the retired leaders still had a lot of influence behind the scenes.

In 1988, the party decided that portraits of Marx, Engels, Lenin, and Stalin would no longer be displayed in Tiananmen Square on national holidays. Only portraits of Mao and Sun Yat-sen would remain.

As demands for political reforms grew, Deng Xiaoping insisted that the Communist Party was needed for stable leadership. He said China was not ready for democracy, fearing it would lead to chaos.

The death of Hu Yaobang on April 15, 1989, combined with economic problems like high inflation, led to large protests. Students and citizens gathered in Tiananmen Square to mourn Hu and protest against corruption. Their protests spread to many other cities.

On April 26, the government called the protests "turmoil." This was the start of efforts to stop the protests by force. Martial law was declared in Beijing on May 20, 1989. In the early morning of June 4, military units were sent into Beijing. Armed force was used to clear the demonstrators. Official estimates say between 200 and 300 people died, while other groups believe the number was much higher, possibly thousands.

After the protests, the Chinese government faced strong criticism from other countries. The government arrested many protesters and required political re-education. Zhao Ziyang, who was sympathetic to the students, was placed under house arrest for the rest of his life. The topic of the Tiananmen Square protests remains sensitive in China.

One Child Policy

In 1979, the Chinese government started the one child policy to control its fast-growing population. This policy was very controversial, especially in rural areas where families wanted more children for farm work and a strong preference for sons.

While it helped with issues like famine, by 2010, the policy led to a problem: too many older people were relying on too few young workers. China later changed to a two-child policy in 2015, then a three-child policy in 2021, and finally removed all limits on family size later that year.

History of the People's Republic of China (1976–1989) facts for kids

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