Thursday, March 11, 2010

Deng Xiaoping

1. Describe the struggle for power following Mao, the emergence of Deng Xiaoping and the defeat of the gang of four.
  • Death of Zhou Enlai (Jan. 1976) - symbolize opposition to policies of Maoist radicals
  • Competition between Maoists and moderates
  • Gang of Four blame violence of protests mourning Zhou on Deng, Deng purged and Gang of Four arrested
  • Hua Guofeng become prime minister, unable to block Deng's political prowess
  • Deng assume power not necessarily as prime minister, but puppet master

2. Describe some of the economic policies and Four Modernizations for China under Deng.
  • 4 Modernizations: agriculture, industry, science and technology, and national defense
  • Introduce elements of capitalism - international trade, increase foreign business investments
  • Agriculture - break up commune system, introduce responsibility system (plots to farmers, turn over produce at fixed price, keep / sell surplus)
  • Industry - material incentives, weaken central planning, use market-related pricing policies with production quotas - marginally successful

3. What were the political changes and limits under Deng and how did these culminate in the Tiananmen Square conflict in 1989?
  • Bureaucratic reforms - attempt to eliminate corruption (educated officeholders, higher salaries) = FAILED
  • Democracy Wall Movement - encourage freedom of speech (Nov. 1978 to March 1979), people put posters on Democracy wall, leaders of protest eventually arrested
  • Revolts take place when regime relaxes grip
  • Tiananmen Square - Chinese gather to mourn death of Hu Yaobang, turn into riot demanding freedom of speech / assemble / association, criticize nepotism and corruption of party
  • June 3 - army attack demonstrators

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