Maoism: Ideals, Impact & Historical Context

• China is officially known as the People's Republic of China, which is the mainland.
• The Republic of China refers to Taiwan.
• The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is the leading political party in China.
• China is the 2nd largest economy in the world.
• China has the 2nd largest population.
• China is a permanent member of the UN Security Council.
• China is the 2nd largest military spender.
• China is the largest greenhouse gas emitter.
• China is the largest developing country.
• China has a unique political system.
• Canada's 2nd largest trade partner is China.
• China is a major source of immigrants to Canada.
• There are increasing tensions between Ottawa and Beijing, including the Huawei issue and alleged election interference.
• British Columbia has one of the largest Chinese diasporas, centered in areas like Richmond.
• There are close economic ties between BC and China: 21.5% of BC lumber products go to China.
• China has unanimous votes due to surveillance and repercussions for incorrect votes.
• This system is to consolidate supremacy once decisions are made behind closed doors.
• Mao Zedong initiated young people/students to revolt against authority, including humiliating teachers and landlords.
• He remained unscathed due to the party structure.
• China finds it hard to establish Asian hegemony because its neighbors are diverse and concentrated, unlike North America.
• China's population is largely in eastern China along the coastline, with large empty areas in the west.
• Today, eastern coastal China has more prosperity, with provincial capital cities being the most prosperous.
• More mountainous regions are less prosperous, similar to sub-Saharan Africa, for example, Ethiopia has a GDP comparable to Ningxia.
• China is called a party state because the party has influence and control over the state.
• The party operates above the state system.
• The state and party are inseparable.
• The party controls all institutions of the state.
• The party-state tries to enable the party boss to have all power invested in them.
• It is a hierarchical system.
• People may hold multiple state and party roles, which are not always compatible.
• The CCP politics and law commission oversees Chinese police, courts, and judicial matters.
• Other important departments include the government boss/parliament, senate, national propaganda department, and international liaison department.
• In China, people are drafted into these jobs and assessed for qualification.
• The top 5 group hosts the most powerful politicians in government.
• Some can take double roles, for example, the party boss of education and the minister of education.
• China hosts 100-300 politicians in the outer layer of the core party group.
• Important provinces have party secretaries with economic and political clout.
• Power structures are equivalent to the BC RCMP without a seat at the second layer.
• Educational institutions have hierarchies with someone to report to.
• Judges and courts are part of the party-state apparatus.
• The CCP has party secretaries for even small organizations.
• There are biweekly meetings between newspaper secretaries and propaganda secretaries to plan propaganda.
• Propaganda secretaries have meetings with higher positions.
• Larger districts are more hierarchical than smaller ones.
• The Chinese government is the state council.

Features of the Party State System

• This is hierarchical and covers the public sector, which may be incompatible with a federal design.
• There is a party structure similar to the government.
• The party-state central military committee, makes the decisions.
• Party personnel are intertwined with state leadership.
• Wherever there is a state function, there is a party member.
• Major positions in the state apparatus are taken by party members.
• Party members exert control within the state apparatus.
• The party committee or group is the decision-making body for each unit/branch in the state apparatus.
• The propaganda dept has authority over the dept of education
• In the political system Politics and law commissions has authority over courts and police
• A Leninist party has high requirements for party members, for example, party ideology has authority over personal life
• The Politburo brings together figures of party, state and military in China
• It is almost impossible to advance without being in the party.

CCP Functional Departments

• Organization
• Publicity/propaganda
• United front
• International liaison, at the government only.
• The CCP has 92 million members, about 6.6% of China's population.
• In 2015 speech, Xi Jinping emphasized recognizing the "party's core", and that it is a security organization that shapes the world outside.
• From 1636-1912 the Manchu led the dynasty of China
• In 1912 ROC was est. with held from nationalist party (Kuomintang, KMT/geomindang, GMD)
• It was a Leninist party that established the republic of China
• July 1921, saw the est. of the CCP
• Both parties were Leninist and borrowed heavily from the soviet union party building and work
• From 1923-1927 was hte 1st united front (KMT/GMD-CCP alliance) to end warlordism in China
• They worked to unify China
• From 1927-1936 was the 1st phase chinese civil war (KMT/GMT vs. CCP).
• The CCPs long march lasted from 1934-35.
• There was brainwashing education during these years.
• December 1936: Xi-an incident (general of nationalist party and #1 of republic of China tried to crash newly established CCP with military was highly dependent on warlords and he was put under house arrest by the warlord generals-said enemy should be Japanese imperialism, not CCP).
• This KMT shifted its strategy of "first internal pacification, then external resistance"
• From July 1937-august 1945 was the 2nd sino-japanese war
• From 1937-1945 was the 2nd CCP-KMT/GMD united front
• From 1937-1945: the second united front (KMT-CCP alliance) resisting Japanese invasion
• From Aug 1945-dec 1949: chinese (KMT/CCP) civil war (2nd phase)
• The onset of the cold war made CCP lean to SU and nationalist party to US
• In October 1949, establishment of the peoples republic of China (PRC) announced by mao Zedong: Mao zedong proclaimed the establishment of the PRC at tianemen on October 1, 1949
• Dec 1949: KMT/ROC migrated to Taiwan
• Mao died on September 9, 1976
• Maos mausoleum at Tiananmen square of Beijing (above)

Long-lasting influence of Mao Zedong

• His portrait on Tiananmen tower in central Beijing
• Statue of mao erected by local residens in henan in 2015
• The 130th anniversary of mao's birth on Dec 26, 2023

Characteristics of Totalitarianism

• An elaborate ideology with set of the ideas for how life and governance should work
  • An official body of doctrine covering all vital aspects of human existence that everyone should adhere to (study, work, farmer, disability)
  • Focus on a final perfection of society and final state of a human society
• "mao zedong thought” is listed with Marxism and Leninism in constitutional documents to rid communist China of evils in the west
• Mao's "little red book" supported form of communism
  • Guards waving red book, peasants studying in fields
• Eight-point charter of agriculture is for fertilizer application, water conservancy, food saving measures.
• People are given food vouchers and a designated place to receive food
• Example marriage ceritificate from maos era show struggle with ownership, care for eachother
• Official Ideology: Pupils, armymen,Mentaly disorded follow mao

Perfect state of Society:

• destruct 4 olds old ideas during the cultural revolution:
  • A student destroying the baroque gat of tsinghua university
• The Chinese Community party led by one man superior to gov bureaucracy
• The party has functional departments
  • Organization
  • Media censorship is publicity/propaganda
  • United front
  • International liaison

Explore the core tenets of Maoism, including the role of the 'Little Red Book' and the 'Eight-Point Charter of Agriculture'. Understand its historical context, key events like the Second Sino-Japanese War, and its lasting influence in China. Examine its relationship with Soviet ideals.