Mao to Deng
How did Deng Xiaoping rise to
power in China?
Decline of Mao

1960’s Mao slowly losing power to his wife,
Jiang Qing and her associates
– The Gang of Four.

Jiang Qing denounces Deng as a counterrevolutionary and a capitalist.
– Sent to the countryside to work in a factory in
1967

Mao rehires him, hoping he will take power
away from the Gang of Four
Mao Dies – Power Struggle

Deng gains the support of the
military and is able to get control of
the government.

The Gang of Four is arrested, placed
on trial, and sentenced to death.
– None of them are executed, but
all are imprisoned for life

Deng begins the 2nd Revolution
Political Changes

Bringing justice to the Gang of 4
and others involved in the Cultural
Revolution

De-Maoization – undoing the
glorification of the God-like Mao

Giving govt. positions to younger,
better educated people
Economic Policy

Four Modernizations –
Program to improve
agriculture, industry,
science/technology and
defense
– Brought in a mixed
economy with elements of
capitalism
– Began to rely on foreign
technology and investment
The Responsibility System

Produce more, keep
more for yourself

Did away with
Communes; peasants
decide what to grow on
land leased from the
state
All goods produced
above quota, they
keep for themselves
– incentive to work
harder
 Leads to better living
standards, a
SUCCESS!

Changes in Industry

Some private ownership is allowed and
managers given more freedom in running
factories

Bosses could give bonuses to workers and
could hire and fire people

New Open Door Policy – allowed some
foreign investors into the Chinese
economy
Economic Problems did Persist







Inadequate transportation and energy sources
Shortage of skilled labor
Natural disasters
Red Eyes
Unemployment
Inflation – Things no longer subsidized by the
govt.
Corruption in govt. and business (too much
like capitalism)
Tiananmen Square June 3-4,1989

University students led demonstrations
demanding more political freedoms and
democracy in the 80’s

Resulting in Communist govt. crackdown –
outlawed demonstrations…but not all listen

Between 100-150,000 students demonstrated in
Tiananmen Square for 6 weeks, demanding an
end to corruption – not to Communism
Tiananmen Square

Inspired other
demonstrations in public
domain among workers
and professionals –
“Democracy Movement”

3,000 more students go
on hunger strike
demanding removal of
corrupt official Li Peng

Liu Xiaobo won the Nobel
Peace Prize – he is in jail
– the Chinese have put
his supporters under
house arrest
– He wrote a charter
calling for more
democratic reform

http://video.pbs.org/video/1146923141
Deng Declares Marshall Law
Troops and tanks sent in to put down
demonstrations in Tiananmen Square
 Attacked and killed almost 1,000 students,
elsewhere others are killed for their “counterrevolutionary” actions (2,600 reported initially)
 Many others were arrested and executed
publicly


What effects do you think this had on China?
On its relations with foreign nations?
The effect
of
Marshall
Law
These are the
images the
world sees of
Tiananmen
The World Reacts

I was only nine-years-old when I witnessed the
massacre of peaceful pro-democracy
demonstrators. I shall never forget the image of
that young student facing down a tank in the
middle of Tiananmen Square - I believe it is a
defining image of the decade. Those images
have stayed with me and even at such a tender
age I realized that what we take for granted
here (our democratic rights and civil liberties),
others are denied and are prepared to die for!
Denise, Northern Ireland