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Mao Zedong's Consolidation of Power - Coggle Diagram
Mao Zedong's Consolidation of Power
Use of Force
Beginning in the mid 1950s mao used programs of extreme government sanctioned violence to eliminate political and social enemies
around 3.5 million casualties are estimated by historians, as the numbers are jumbled for unsanctioned killings, instigated mob violence, instances of civilian conflict and guerilla warfare
encouraged use of force meant that even smaller, local governments and officials could use there government sanctioned killings to eliminate their own opposition, or simply kill because they could and had an agenda
The Campaign to Suppress Counterrevolutionaries had around 2 million approx. casualties, as it was perhaps the largest campaign to eliminate opposition. Mao's consolidation ended with the conclusion of the CTSCR
Land Reforms
Between 1.5 to 2 million approx. casualties
targeted land lords which had a monopoly over the lower class/peasantry's finances, livelihood, food, and living space
Land reforms began in Northern China and escalated to Southern China, where arbitrary executions and "struggle sessions" sanctioned by the government took place to cleanse rural areas of landlords and the upper class (1947-1952)
Reforms officially stopped after land was deemed sufficiently redistributed by the government
In many areas, the division of social classes of peasantry and the struggle sessions led to instigated, uncontrolled mob violence and collective murder
Began in order to redistribute land from monopolizing landlords to the lower peasantry class and sway the remaining areas in favor of the CCP.
Key Policies
3-Anti's Campaign
Helped Mao concolidate political power, helped purge "enemies of the state" which were mostly former KMT members
3-Antis: Corruption, Waste, and Bureaucracy
Mao had "quotas" of people to kill, imprison, or exile in order to limit the amount of opposition to the communist government. Similar most notably to the Campaign to Suppress Counterrevolutionaries and the Hundred Flowers Campaign
Danwei, Hukou, Dangan
Hukou: Housing permit
Dangan: Personal file
Registration by CCP
Danwei: Work permits
5-Anti's Campaign
Helped the CCP gain greater control over the economy by making more industries state-run
5-Anti's: Bribery, theft of state property, tax evasion, cheating on government contracts, and stealing state economic intellegence
To punish for the "5 evils", government used different tactics than sole capital punishment as in the 3 Antis Campaign, such as thought reform, exile, and imprisonment
All key policies helped Mao consolidate power as people became loyal to the state. Neighbor spied on neighbor, child spied on parent
Rectification Campaigns
From 1949
Mao and CCP released mass political campaigns, because they were still concerned of counter-revolutionary elements, even though CCP had a strong hold on China
After 1949
Rectification campaigns designed to have individuals alter or rectify their ideas, thoughts, and actions to those more supportive of the revoloution
1955
The Sufan Movement: Extensive purge of party cadres
1950-53
Rectification campaigns became very bitter
Hundred Flowers Campaign
Encouraged freedom of thought, eventually used for purging "rightist" CCP members who spoke out against Mao
Historians disagree about Mao's motivations in the 100 Flowers Campaign. Some believe it was intentional to purge dissidents in the parts, some believe that he actually wanted to encourage freer thought
Juan Chang: "Few guessed that Mao was setting a trap, and that he was inviting people to speak out so that he could use what they said as an excuse to victimize them"
Lee Feigon: "Mao sought to prevent party bureaucrats from interfering with technical decisions"
Yves Chevrier: "It enabled Mao's political comeback within the party leadership"
Johnathan Soence: "It was rather, a muddled and inconclusive movement that grew out of conflicting attitudes within the CCP leadership"
Became a government sanctions program for eliminating political enemies by way of quiet killings, propaganda campaigns, concentration/labor camps, imprisonment, or exile. Led to approx. 300k "antirevolutionaries" and intellectuals being punished their critiques of the government
1956
Censorship Loosened
1957
People started to submit criticisms, led to a collective anger among the people, and protests/riots broke out
The Anti-Rightest Campaign (1957)
Explosion of criticisms, protests and strikes led to the CCP ending the Hundred Flowers Campaign
Punishment
Reeducation through labor: Intellectuals work among peasants to cure them of values.
Execution
Special Labor Camps (Iaogai): Convicted criminals sent, harsh conditions, many died or committed suicide
Anyone that identified as "rightist" were sacked, others were directed to undergo "thought reform" or "reeducation through labor"