Mao: Political Policies and Cultural Revolution

Last week was on Mao's economic policies. These week will be on his Political Policies and the Cultural Revolution...

Mao implemented political policies after the fall of Kuomintang to set up a socialist state along Maoist lines and consolidate CCP’s power. In September 1954, the National People’s Congress was formed with Mao as the first President. CCP controlled elections, supplied all election candidates and monopolized membership of governing bodies. Opposition parties could not express themselves legally. The people’s courts imposed summary justice in which 2 million people died. At the local level, CCP grouped the country’s 18 provinces into 6 regions governed by councils. At each level, there was... a Communist Party committee which made sure councils implemented communist policies The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) was used to tackle urgent problems like rebuilding certain infrastructure, like transport links. PLA commanders also shared tasks of the regional councils. From 1950-1951, CCP organized mass rallies to consolidate power by removing reactionaries, Japanese collaborators and KMT supporters. Nearly a million reactionaries were executed. In 1951, Movement for the Study of Mao’s thought began, aiming to show CCP’s humility and gain support for Mao’s ideas. It involved close study of Mao’s writings combined with public self-criticism at Party Meetings. To concentrate the public’s attention on specific problems, the party organized the Three Antis Campaign against corruption, waste and too much “red tape”, and the Five Antis Campaign against bribery, tax evasion, fraud, theft and spying. Offenders were sent labour camps for re-education with thought reform. In the “Swat the Fly Campaign”, Chinese citizens successfully worked to kill trillions of flies. To strengthen the CCP, people were encouraged to join Party-run interest groups such as Young Pioneers and Women’s League for Democracy. Mao introduced the Hundred Flowers Campaign in 1956 to gain support from intellectuals and prevent a possible counter revolution by the citizens affected badly by the 5-year Plan. Mao allowed people vent frustration by expressing their views on the CCP, its policies and leaders. Initially, most Chinese were wary to do so but gradually, many criticisms about the rigid Governmental system were made and situation got out of hand. The anti-rightist movement lasted till 1957 and order was eventually restored. There were no more invitations to open debate. Revisionists were beaten and forced to give public confessions. Freedom of speech became restricted. In late 1958, after the failure of the Great Leap Forward, Mao gave up presidency but retained chairmanship of the Party. The moderates led by Liu Shaoqi and Deng Xiaoping wanted more incentives to get peasants to work hard in communes. However, the radicals accused them of betraying Chinese communism. Mao launched a Socialist Education Movement to get people back on path to communism. He purged intellectuals, moderates and capitalists, so as to prevent revisionism in economic policies. The “four clean-ups campaign” was started to wipe out corruption and bad management in party, and to discourage people with capitalist ideas. In 1965, Mao gained support from Lin Biao, the Minister of Defense, who later abolished all ranks in PLA to suit Maoism. The Little Red Book was also composed with quotations from Chairman Mao. Every soldier had a copy, winning Mao the support of over a million soldiers. Backed by Lin and the PLA, Mao launched the great Proletarian Cultural Revolution. This aimed to revitalize revolutionary values, eliminate Mao’s enemies so that he can regain power, have revolution in superstructure and remove capitalist policies. Students in Beijing formed military groups called the Red Guards. Schools were closed to revise curriculum. The Cult of Mao was set up, where the Red Guards memorized the Little Red Book faithfully. The cult had revolution committees consisting of peasants, soldiers and Red Guards. PLA controlled central and provincial party organizations. Education was hindered as 120 million people under 45 years old were illiterate. Chinese heritage was destroyed, farming and industrial out put dipped, but moderates were removed which allowed Mao to regain power. The Cultural Revolution officially ended in 1969 but lasted till the early 1970s. It had caused much upheaval, but restored Mao’s power. Another significant policy was the discrediting of religion, as it contradicted communism. Cadres were told to turn people away from feudal past and towards Marxist beliefs and CCP’s teachings. All Chinese had to cut connection with missionaries.